The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over ...
, to honor the achievements of American
Thoroughbred race horses,
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
s, and
trainers
Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used ...
. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Avenue near
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
, 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
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-yea ...
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 (male horse, female horse, 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 female horses (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
Cornelius "Sonny" Vanderbilt Whitney (February 20, 1899 – December 13, 1992) was an American businessman, film producer, government official, writer and philanthropist. He was also a polo player and the owner of a significant stable of Thorough ...
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
Canfield Casino and Congress Park is a site in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It was formerly the site of the Congress Hotel (also called Congress Hall), a large resort hotel, and the Congress Spring Bottling Plant, as well as Canfie ...
. The establishment was supported by the city of
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over ...
, 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
Lexington may refer to:
Places England
* Laxton, Nottinghamshire, formerly Lexington
Canada
* Lexington, a district in Waterloo, Ontario
United States
* Lexington, Kentucky, the largest city with this name
* Lexington, Massachusetts, the oldes ...
.
In 1955, the museum relocated to its current location on Union Avenue, across the street of the main entrance of the historic
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actu ...
. 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 9 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. Thoroughbreds remain eligible in the contemporary category between five and 25 calendar years following their final racing year. Thoroughbreds retired for more than 25 calendar years may become eligible through the Historic Review Committee.
Source: National Museum of Racing and Hall
Jockeys in the Hall of Fame
Contemporary
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
s 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. In special circumstances such as fragile health, the 20 year requirement may be waived, though there is usually a five-year waiting period after retirement in such cases.
Source: National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
Legend:
* Still active (+ Win totals from Equibase.com )
** Wins in North America only
Trainers in the Hall of Fame
Contemporary
trainers become eligible for the Hall of Fame after they have been licensed for at least 25 years, and remain eligible until 25 years after retirement. In special circumstances such as fragile health, the 25 year requirement may be waived though there is usually a five-year waiting period after retirement in such cases.
Presidents
Exemplars of Racing
Pillars of the Turf
Established in 2013, the Hall of Fame states that the Pillars of the Turf category honors those "who have made extraordinary contributions to Thoroughbred racing in a leadership or pioneering capacity at the highest national level."
Museum Exhibits
In addition to the Hall of Fame, the museum houses numerous exhibits. These include:
* The Link Gallery, which features a bronze statue, ''Seasick'', and a rotating selection of paintings
* The Sculpture Gallery, which features work by June Harrah,
Herbert Haseltine
Herbert Chevalier Haseltine (1877–1962) was an Italian-born French/American animalier sculptor, most known as an Equestrian sculptor.
Early life and education
Hesltine was born in Rome, the son of the American landscape painter William Sta ...
, Marilyn Newmark,
Jim Reno
Jim Reno (1929–2008) was a bronze sculptor who focused his artistic abilities on western themes and famous horses, such as Secretariat. Reno's most notable sculpture is titled ''Secretariat—31 Lengths'' which is on display at the National M ...
,
John Skeaping
John Rattenbury Skeaping, RA (9 June 1901 – 5 March 1980) was an English sculptor and equine painter and sculptor. He designed animal figures for Wedgwood, and his life-size statue of Secretariat is exhibited at the National Museum of R ...
and Eleanor Iselin Wade, among others. The gallery looks out onto the inner courtyard, which features a life-size bronze of
Secretariat
Secretariat may refer to:
* Secretariat (administrative office)
* Secretariat (horse)
Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...
by Skeaping
* The Colonial Gallery, which covers the ocean transportation of horses and the foundations of American racing
* The Pre-Civil War Gallery, covering the expansion of racing during the early 19th century
* The Post-Civil War Gallery, covering the continued expansion of racing after the Civil War until a backlash to gambling in the early 20th century led to the closure of many tracks
* The 20th Century Gallery, which covers more recent topics
* The Eclipse Gallery, featuring award-winning entries from the Eclipse Award photography competition
* The Racing Day Gallery, which features displays about jockeys, odds and the
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, i ...
* The Anatomy Room, covering the breeding and biology of the Thoroughbred
* The Triple Crown Gallery, including information and artifacts related to
Triple Crown history
* The Steeplechase Gallery, covering the history of steeplechase racing in America
* The von Stade Gallery, which displays a selection of paintings, works on paper, or photographic prints from the Museum Collection
* The Peter McBean Gallery, which houses temporary exhibitions, a semi-permanent Hall of Fame Heroes exhibition and seasonal exhibitions. It also houses a collection bequeathed by John Nerud, including trophies and paintings of the Hall of Fame horses he trained, Gallant Man and Dr. Fager
The Museum Collection
includes just over 300 paintings. These range from paintings of the early days of racing in England by
John E. Ferneley Sr. to more contemporary champions by
Richard Stone Reeves
Richard Stone Reeves (November 6, 1919 – October 7, 2005) was an American equine painter whom '' Blood-Horse magazine'' described as perhaps the greatest modern-day horse painter.
Born in New York City, Reeves grew up in Garden City on Long ...
. Featured artists include: William Smithson Broadhead, Vaughn Flannery, Sir
Alfred J. Munnings,
Frederic Remington
Frederic Sackrider Remington (October 4, 1861 – December 26, 1909) was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in the genre of Western American Art. His works are known for depicting the Western United Sta ...
,
Martin Stainforth
Martin Frank Stainforth (14 August 1866 – 22 April 1957) was a British-born artist best known for his portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses he painted in England and while living in Australia and the United States.
Biography
Born at Martle ...
,
George Stubbs
George Stubbs (25 August 1724 – 10 July 1806) was an English painter, best known for his paintings of horses. Self-trained, Stubbs learnt his skills independently from other great artists of the 18th century such as Joshua Reynolds, Reynold ...
, Henry Stull,
Edward Troye
Edward Troye (12 July 1808 - 25 July 1874), was a Swiss-born American painter of Thoroughbred horses.
Early life and background
Troye was born on July 12, 1808 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Travels
At age 20 he emigrated to the West Indies, and la ...
and
Franklin Brooke Voss. Also on display are Kelso's five Jockey Club Gold Cup trophies and the Triple Crown trophies of Count Fleet.
See also
*
Australian Racing Hall of Fame
The Australian Racing Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum which documents and honours the horseracing legends of Australia. The museum officially opened in 1981 and created the Hall of Fame in 2000.
The numbers in brackets afte ...
*
British Steeplechasing Hall of Fame
*
British National Horseracing Museum
*
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The ...
*
Japan Racing Association Hall of Fame
*
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is a museum in Goshen, New York. The museum collects and preserves the history of harness racing and serves as a hall of fame for the American Standardbred horse.
Orange County is the birthplace of Hamb ...
*
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame recognises and honours those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand thoroughbred horse racing industry.
History
The Hall of Fame's first group of honorees were inducted in 2006, and inductions are he ...
*
Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum
The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplechase Thoroughbred horses that trained in Aiken, South Carolina.
The museum was a project of the local Jaycees, a ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame
Horse racing organizations in the United States
Equestrian museums in the United States
Sports museums in New York (state)
Museums in Saratoga County, New York
Horse racing museums and halls of fame
Horse Racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...
Buildings and structures in Saratoga Springs, New York
Museums established in 1951
Tourist attractions in Saratoga Springs, New York
1951 establishments in New York (state)
*