NEW FORMAT HELPS CREDIBILITY.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Horse Racing horse racing, trials of speed involving two or more horses. It includes races among harnessed horses with one of two particular gaits, among saddled Thoroughbreds (or, less frequently, quarterhorses) on a flat track, or among saddled horses over a turf course with INGLEWOOD - Horse racing's Hall of Fame took a stride toward major-league respectability this week by stealing a yellowed page from its baseball counterpart. It elected Nick Zito Nicholas Philip "Nick" Zito (born February 6, 1948 in New York City, New York) is an American Thoroughbred horse trainer. Zito began his career as a hot walker and worked his way way up to a groom, to an assistant trainer, and to a trainer. for the simple reason that the two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer deserves the honor. At the 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 Saratoga Springs Saratoga Springs, resort and residential city (1990 pop. 25,001), Saratoga co., E N.Y.; inc. as a village 1826, as a city 1915. Skidmore College is the largest source of employment, but the city also has light manufacturing. , N.Y., this passed for innovation. The half-century-old institution, which honors both horsemen and horses, has toughened its standards by requiring candidates to be listed on at least 75 percent of the ballots to be elected. The change had an immediate effect. In results announced Tuesday, Zito was the only hopeful to meet the standard while all of the jockeys and horses on the ballot were told to wait till next year. In the past, a nominating committee A nominating committee is a group formed usually from inside the membership of an organization for the purpose of nominating candidates for office within the organization. It works similarly to an electoral college, the main difference being that the available candidates, either put three names on the ballot in each category, and the top vote-getter in each column went into the Hall of Fame, no matter the percentages. Now, the committee comes up with five names in each category, and the top vote-getter in each goes in only as long as he or she impresses 75 percent of the ballot-casters. Zito, 57, a Derby winner with Strike the Gold in 1991 and Go for Gin Go for Gin (foaled 1991 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred racehorse most well known as the winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby. He was sired by Cormorant out of the dam Never Knock. in 1994, said he was ``humbled'' by the announcement. ``I just wanted to know how it would feel someday, like everybody else,'' said the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of native, who will be inducted in ceremonies Aug. 8 in Saratoga Springs, becoming the 79th trainer and joining 84 jockeys and 171 horses in the shrine. ``Anybody that says they don't want to be in there, they're just not human. It's a great, great honor.'' Three stars of steeplechase steeplechase Either of two distinct sporting events: (1) a horse race over a closed course with obstacles, including hedges and walls; or (2) a footrace of 3,000 m over hurdles and a water jump. racing also will be inducted; jockey Tommy Walsh
Tommy Walsh (born 1956 in London) is an English celebrity builder. He attended Parmiter's School, then in Bethnal Green. , trainer Sid Watters Jr. and the horse Lonesome Glory Lonesome Glory (April, 1988 - February 2,2002) was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse in steeplechase racing. Inherited by Kay Jeffords when her husband Walter Jeffords, Jr. died in 1990, Lonesome Glory nearly became a show horse but proved too rambunctious for that sport. were chosen by a committee that meets every four years. That Zito is the only flat-racing figure receiving a plaque this year makes the honor more significant. Among the flat-racing figures not voted in this time were trainers Mel Stute and Gary Jones Gary Jones is the name of:
No Hall of Famer should face public suspicion about whether he or she is truly deserving, but that was the result of the old balloting format that seemed to be based on museum officials' fear of not having an honoree one summer. Was a given personality a near-unanimous choice on a strong ballot? Did he squeak in with 34 percent of the vote in a weak year? Was another candidate a popular choice but denied enshrinement because he finished a hard-luck second? Fans never knew. Horse racing is one of the few sports that honor people while they're still competing, trainers becoming eligible 25 years and jockeys 15 years after they're licensed. That can be a publicity boon for the attention-starved sport. But it has to honor the right people. Putting in the 75 percent rule should be only a first step toward mimicking its baseball brother, the most revered of the sports Halls of Fame. Baseball announces vote totals, realizing that the more fans know, the more they'll talk about the Hall of Fame. Ed Bowen, who runs racing's voting, refused Tuesday to give out vote totals beyond saying Zito was the only trainer to crack 75 percent. In the past, Bowen has said he didn't want to embarrass the losers. This time he said: ``We don't want to imply someone being the favorite for next year.'' Baseball doesn't limit election to one candidate per category, because that makes no sense. Racing, meanwhile, is sure to have a year when a jockey named on 100 percent of the ballots goes into the Hall while another who gets 99 percent is shut out. The goal should be to honor those who deserve it and deny those who don't. Zito's selection this week represents a step in the right direction. --Weekend highlight: John Shirreffs, the trainer of Giacomo, was asked recently if he'd ever seen a horse win a big race after coming as close to falling as Afleet Alex did in the Preakness. Shirreffs didn't have to think back too far. ``Other than Hollywood Story in the Hawthorne?'' he said. Odds-on in the May 7 Hawthorne at Hollywood Park, Hollywood Story clipped the heels of Cissy cissy Noun pl -sies Adjective same as sissy Adj. 1. cissy - having unsuitable feminine qualities effeminate, emasculate, sissified, sissy, sissyish, epicene and dropped almost to her nose in the first turn but recovered to win by 2 1/2 lengths. The victory earned the 4-year-old filly a race-high 121 pounds for Saturday's $200,000 Milady Handicap. With Hollywood Park leader Victor Espinoza riding, Hollywood Story seeks her third win in the past four starts as she heads a field of eight that includes Siphon siphon (sī`fən, –fŏn), tube through which a liquid is lifted over an elevation by the pressure of the atmosphere and is then emptied at a lower level. Honey and House of Fortune, second and third in the Hawthorne, and Star Parade, the 2004 Milady winner. She's aptly named, with three wins in four starts at Hollywood Park and an 0-for-10 record at other tracks. CAPTION(S): box Box: OUT OF THE GATE - Kevin Modesti and Associated Press |
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