National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Avenue near Saratoga Race Course, at which time inductions into the hall of fame began. Each spring, following the tabulation of the final votes, the announcement of new inductees is made, usually during Kentucky Derby Week in early May. The actual inductions are held in mid-August during the Saratoga race meeting.

The Hall of Fame's nominating committee selects eight to ten candidates from among the four Contemporary categories (colts and horses, fillies and mares, jockey and trainer) to be presented to the voters. Changes in voting procedures that commenced with the 2010 candidates allow the voters to choose multiple candidates from a single Contemporary category, instead of a single candidate from each of the four Contemporary categories. For example, in 2016, two mares (Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta) were inducted at the same time.

The museum also houses a large collection of art, artifacts, and memorabilia that document the history of horse racing from the eighteenth century to the present.

History The National Museum of Racing was founded in 1950, led by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and a group of people interested in thoroughbred racing. The museum first opened its doors in 1951, at which time it occupied a single room in Saratoga's Canfield Casino. The establishment was supported by the city of Saratoga Springs, which donated $2,500, the Saratoga Racing Association, which donated $5,000, and various patrons of the sport, who also donated various pieces of art and memorabilia. The first item in the museum's collection was a horseshoe worn by the great Lexington.

In 1955, the museum relocated to its current location on Union Avenue, across the street from the main entrance of the historic Saratoga Race Course. The museum was relocated to a newly reconstructed building and a thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame was included. Since then, the museum has expanded several times to allow for the display of its extensive art collection and more multimedia displays on the history of the sport.

Horses in the Hall of Fame

In the early years, inductions to the hall of fame were based on the evaluation of a panel of racing historians. In 1955, a group of nine horses from the earliest years of the American turf were inducted. The 1956 class included 11 horses that raced around the turn of the century, while the 1957 class included 10 horses that raced up to the mid-thirties. Since then, the classes have been significantly smaller as the inductions shifted to more contemporary horses. Under current rules, a horse must have been retired for a minimum of five full calendar years to be eligible for the hall of fame. (Exceptions to this rule have been made; for example, Secretariat was inducted the year after his retirement and Ruffian was inducted the year after her death.) Thoroughbreds remain eligible in the contemporary category between five and 25 calendar years following their final racing year.

After that point, the Historic Review Committee will consider horses, jockeys, and trainers on a triennial basis based on eras in a format similar to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committees, on an alternating basis based on eras.

Pre-20th Century (next meeting 2027) 20th Century, Pre-1960 (next meeting 2028) Post-1960 (next meeting 2029)

PhotoNameInductedCareer yearsStartsWins A.P. Indy20001991–1992118 Ack Ack19861968–19712719 Affectionately19891962–19655228 Affirmed19801977–19792922 All Along19901981–1984219 Alsab19761941–19445125 Alydar19891977–19792614 Alysheba19931986–19882611 American Eclipse19701818–182388 American Pharoah20212014–2015119 Ancient Title20081972–19785724 Aristides20241874–1878219 Armed19631944–19508141 Arrogate20232016–2017117 Artful19561904–190586 Arts and Letters19941968–19702311 Ashado20142003–20052112 Assault19641945–19504218 Azeri20102001–20042417 Battleship(steeplechaser)19691929–19385524 Bayakoa19981986–19913921 Bed O' Roses19761949–19524618 Beholder20222012–20162618Beldame19561903–19053117 Ben Brush19551895–18974025 Ben Nevis II(steeplechaser)20091976–1980219 Best Pal20101990–19964718 Bewitch19771947–19515520 Billy Kelly20151918–19236939 Bimelech19901939–19411511 Black Gold19891923-4 1927-83518 Black Helen19911934–19352215 Blue Larkspur19571928–19301610 Bold 'n Determined19971979–19812016 Bold Ruler19731956–19583323 Bon Nouvel(steeplechaser)19761963–19685116 Boston19551836–18434540 Bowl of Flowers20041960–19611610 Broomstick19561903–19053914 Buckpasser19701965–19673125 Busher19641944–19472115 Bushranger(steeplechaser)19671932–19362111 Cafe Prince(steeplechaser)19851972–19805218 California Chrome20232013–20172716 Carry Back19751960–19636121 Cavalcade19931933–1936228 Challedon19771938–19424420 Chris Evert19881973–19751510 Cicada19671961–19644223 Cigar20021993–19963319 Citation19591947–19514532 Clifford20141892–18976242 Coaltown19831948–19513923 Colin19561907–19081515 Commando19561900–190197 Cougar II20061968–19735020 Count Fleet19611942–19432116 Crusader19951925–19284218 Curlin20142007–20081611 Dahlia19811972–19764815 Damascus19741966–19683221 Dance Smartly20031990–19921712 Dark Mirage19741967–19692712 Davona Dale19851978–19801811 Decathlon2025 1955-1957 4225 Desert Vixen19791972–19752813 Devil Diver19801941–19454722 Discovery19691933–19366327 Domino19551893–18952519 Dr. Fager19711966–19682218 Duke of Magenta20111877–18781915 Easy Goer19971988–19902014 Eight Thirty19941938–19412716 Elkridge(steeplechaser)19661941–195112331 Emperor of Norfolk19881887–18882921 Equipoise19571930–19355129 Exceller19991975–19793315 Exterminator19571917–192410050 Fair Play19561907–19093210 Fairmount(steeplechaser)19851923–19312212 Fashion19801840–18483632 Firenze19811886–18918247 Flatterer(steeplechaser)19941982–19875124 Flawlessly20041990–19942816 Foolish Pleasure19951974–19762616 Forego19791973–19785734 Fort Marcy19981966–19717521 Gallant Bloom19771968–19702216 Gallant Fox19571929–19301711 Gallant Man 19871956–19582614 Gallorette19621944–19487221 Gamely19801967–19694116 Genuine Risk19861979–19811510 Ghostzapper20122002–2005119 Go For Wand19961989–19901310 Goldikova20172007–20112717 Good and Plenty(steeplechaser)19561904–19072114 Good Night Shirt(steeplechaser)20172004–20093314 Granville19971935–1936188 Grey Lag19571920-3, 1927-8, 19314725 Gun Bow19991963–19654217 Gulch20261986-19883213 Gun Runner20242015–171912 Hamburg19861897–18982116 Hanover19551886–18895032 Harry Bassett20101870–18743623 Heavenly Prize20181993–1996189 Henry of Navarre19851893–18964229 Hermis2025 1901-1905 5528 Hill Prince19911949–19523017 Hillsdale20221957–19594123 Hindoo19551880–18823530 Holy Bull20011993–19951613 Housebuster20131989–19912215 Imp19651896–190117162 Inside Information20081993–19951714Invasor20132005–20071211 Jay Trump(steeplechaser)19711959–19662612John Henry19901977–19848339 Johnstown19921938–19392114 Jolly Roger(steeplechaser)19651924–19304918Justify2024201865 Kelso19671959–19666339 Kentucky19831863–18662321 Kingston19551886–189413889 Kona Gold20261998-20033014 L'Escargot(steeplechaser)19771968–19755312 La Prevoyante19951972–19743925 Lady's Secret19921984–19874525 Lava Man20152003–20094717 Lecomte20241852–1856 17 11 Lexington19551853–185476 Lonesome Glory(steeplechaser)20051991–19994223 Longfellow19711870–18721613 Luke Blackburn19561879–18813925 Lure20131991–19942514 Majestic Prince19881968–1969109 Man o' War19571919–19202120 Manila20081985–19871812 Maskette20011908–19101712 McDynamo(steeplechaser)20132000–20073417 Miesque19991986–19881612 Miss Woodford19671882–18864837 Mom's Command20071984–19851611 Mongo20261961-19644622 My Juliet20191974–19773624 Myrtlewood19791934–19362215 Nashua19651954–19563022 Native Dancer19631952–19542221 Native Diver19781961–19678137 Needles20001955–19572111 Neji(steeplechaser)19661953–19604917 Noor20021947–19503112 Northern Dancer19761963–19641814 Oedipus(steeplechaser)19781948–19525814 Old Rosebud19681913-4, 1917, 1919–228040 Omaha19651934–1936229 Open Mind20111988–19901912 Pan Zareta19721912–191715176 Parole19841875–188513859 Paseana20011990–19853619 Personal Ensign19931986–19881313 Peter Pan19561906–19071710 Planet20121858–18603127 Point Given20102000–2001139 Preakness20181870–18763918 Precisionist20031983–19884620 Princess Doreen19821923–19279434 Princess Rooney19911982–19842117 Rachel Alexandra20162008–20101913 Real Delight19871952–19531512 Regret19571914–1917119 Reigh Count19781927–19292712 Riva Ridge19981971–19733017 Roamer19811913–19199839 Roseben19561903–190911152 Royal Delta20192010–20132212 Royal Heroine20221982–19842110 Round Table19721956–19596643 Ruffian19761974–19751110 Ruthless19751866–1867117 Safely Kept20111988–19913124 Salvator19551888–18901916 Sarazen19571923–19285527 Seabiscuit19581935–19408933 Searching19781954–19588925 Seattle Slew19811976–19781714 Secretariat19741972–19732116 Serena's Song20021994–19963818 Shuvee19751968–19714416 Silver Charm20071996–19992412 Silver Spoon19781958–19602713 Silverbulletday20091998–20002315 Sir Archy19551808–180974 Sir Barton19571918–19203113 Skip Away20041995–19983818 Sky Beauty20111992–19952115 Slew o' Gold19921982–19842012 Smarty Jones2025 2003-2004 98 Songbird20232015–20171513 Spectacular Bid19821978–19803026 Stymie19751943–194913135 Sun Beau19961927–19317433 Sunday Silence19961988–1990149 Susan's Girl19761971–19756329 Swaps19661954–19562519 Swoon's Son20071955–19585130 Sword Dancer19771958–19603915 Sysonby19561904–19051514 Ta Wee19941968–19702115 Ten Broeck19821874–18783023 Tepin20222013–20162313 Tim Tam19851957–19581410 Tiznow20092000–2001158 Tom Fool19601951–19533021 Tom Ochiltree20161875–18773321 Tom Bowling20201872–18741714 Top Flight19661931–19321612 Tosmah19841963–19663923 Tuscalee(steeplechaser)20131963–19728939 Twenty Grand19571930–19352514 Twilight Tear19631943–19452418 Two Lea19821948–19522615 War Admiral19581936–19392621 Waya20191977–19792914 Whirlaway19591940–19436032 Whisk Broom II19791909–19132610 Wise Dan20202010–20143123 Winning Colors20001987–1989198 Xtra Heat20152000–20033526 Zaccio(steeplechaser)19901979–19844222 Zenyatta20162007–20102019 Zev19831922–19244323 Source: National Museum of Racing and Hall

Jockeys in the Hall of Fame Contemporary jockeys become eligible for the Hall of Fame after they have been licensed for at least 20 years, and remain eligible until 25 years after retirement. A five-year waiting period is required for jockeys whose body of work would be eligible for the Hall of Fame, but was not licensed for 15 years. A jockey who was licensed from 16 to 19 years before retirement will be eligible once 20 years from the first year of license or the five year retirement is waived by vote.