Clement, Shirreffs Among 13 Finalists to 2026 Hall of Fame Class

[Wandering Eyes]

The late trainers Christophe Clement and John Shirreffs, as well as GI Belmont Stakes-winning filly Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) are among 13 finalists who will appear on this year's ballot for inclusion in the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

Clement, who passed away last spring, trained Eclipse champion Gio Ponti, as well as Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist. Shirreffs, who passed away earlier this month, trained four-time champion Zenyatta, as well as GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo.

The two trainers are joined on the ballot by Ken McPeek, H. Graham Motion, Chief Stipe O'Neill, and John Sadler.

McPeek became the first trainer since 1952 to saddle the winners of both the Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks in the same year when Mystik Dan and Thorpedo Anna swept the two Classics in 2024. He also won the 2022 Belmont with Sarava and the 2020 GI Preakness Stakes with Swiss Skydiver.

Motion won the Kentucky Derby and G1 Dubai World Cup with champion Animal Kingdom, trained two-time Eclipse Award winner Main Sequence, and has won four Breeders' Cup races.

Graham Motion | Sarah Andrew

O'Neill won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I'll Have Another in 2012 and added a second Derby with Nyquist in 2016. He has trained five Eclipse Award winners and has won five Breeders' Cup races.

Sadler has won 194 graded stakes, including the GI Breeders' Cup Classic with Eclipse Award winner Accelerate in 2018 and with Horse of the Year Flightline in 2022. He also trained champion Stellar Wind.

Rags to Riches, who became the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in 102 years when she defeated Curlin in 2007, is one of seven racehorse finalists for inclusion in the Hall of Fame this year. She is joined by six-time Grade I winner Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision), who won the 2010 Kentucky Oaks and was named that year's champion 3-year-old filly; eight-time Grade I winner Game on Dude (Awesome Again), the only horse to win the GI Santa Anita Handicap three times; two-time Eclipse champion female sprinter Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band); 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam); 2000 Eclipse champion sprinter Kona Gold (Java Gold); and 2017 Eclipse champion turf female Lady Eli (Divine Park).

Blind Luck and Havre de Grace | Horsephotos

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, trainers must be licensed for 25 years, while jockeys must be licensed for 20 years. Thoroughbreds are required to be retired for five calendar years. All candidates must have been active within the past 25 years. The 20-and 25-year requirements for jockeys and trainers, respectively, may be waived at the discretion of the Museum's Executive Committee. Candidates who have not been active within the past 25 years are eligible through the Historic Review process.

All the finalists were required to receive a minimum of 10 votes from the 15-member Nominating Committee to qualify for the ballot. The 2026 Hall of Fame Nominating Committee is comprised of chairman D. G. Van Clief, Caton Bredar, Steven Crist, Tom Durkin, Bob Ehalt, Tracy Gantz, Teresa Genaro, Jane Goldstein, Steve Haskin, Jay Hovdey, Alicia Hughes, Dick Jerardi, Tom Law, Jay Privman, and Michael Veitch.

Ballots were emailed Thursday to the 154-member Hall of Fame voting panel. Voters may select as many candidates as they believe are worthy of induction to the Hall of Fame and all candidates that receive 50% plus one vote from the voting panel will be elected to the Hall of Fame.

The results of the voting on the contemporary candidates will be announced Apr. 23. That announcement will also include this year's selections by the Museum's Historic Review, Steeplechase, and Pillars of the Turf committees.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Aug. 7 at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony is open to the public and free to attend.

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