National Museum of Racing announces updates to Hall of Fame Historic Review and Steeplechase Review committee processes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s Executive Committee has approved changes regarding the institution’s Historic Review and Steeplechase Review committees based on feedback received from the committee chairs and members.
Beginning this year, the Historic Review Committee will start an annual rotation to examine a specific era of American racing history. Only candidates from within the designated era will be considered for Hall of Fame induction during that year’s review process. Previously, the Historic Review Committee met three out of every four years and considered all candidates from throughout history dating back to the colonial days as a collective exercise (as long as they have been out of competition more than 25 years). The Steeplechase Review Committee has traditionally convened once every four years (in the year the Historic Review Committee did not meet, most recently in 2021). That committee will now have the option — at the discretion of its membership — to meet yearly to review Hall of Fame candidates.
In 2024, the Historic Review Committee will consider only pre-1900 horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 2025, the Committee will review candidates from the era of 1900 through 1959. In 2026, it will examine the years of 1960 through 2000. The process will cycle back to pre-1900 candidates in 2027. All qualified candidates active within the past 25 years are eligible to be considered through the separate annual contemporary nomination and election process.
The Historic Review Committee can select a maximum of three Hall of Fame inductees per year — any combination of horses, jockeys, and trainers — and requires each of those choices to receive 75 percent approval from the committee for election.
“Based on feedback from members of the various Hall of Fame committees and the committee chairs, I believe these changes will make for a more effective evaluation process for historic candidates being considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Brien Bouyea, the Museum’s Hall of Fame and Communications Director. “These specialized review committees will no longer have to compare candidates from vastly different eras. Evaluating the achievements of a horse or human from before 1900 alongside one from perhaps a century later is an apples vs. oranges exercise that we wanted to improve upon. The Museum also wanted to provide the Steeplechase Review Committee a consistent opportunity to evaluate the standouts of their genre of racing instead of the sporadic approach of the past.”
Chaired by author and racing historian Michael Veitch, the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee will also include Edward L. Bowen, Eclipse Award-winning writer, racing historian, and Museum trustee; Ken Grayson, Museum trustee and racing historian; Jennifer Kelly, author and racing historian; Dorothy Ours, author and racing historian; Josh Pons, Eclipse Award-winning writer, Museum trustee, and co-owner of Country Life Farm and Merryland Farm; Mary Simon, Eclipse Award-winning writer and racing historian; and Gary West, former racing writer for the Dallas Morning News, ESPN, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and a past president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association.
Chaired by Museum trustee and longtime steeplechase horse owner Beverly R. Steinman, the Steeplechase Review Committee also includes Bowen and Veitch; Steve Byk, host of national radio racing program At the Races; Joe Clancy, Eclipse Award-winning writer and owner/publisher of thisishorseracing.com; Bill Gallo, National Steeplechase Association Director of Racing; David Grening, New York circuit and national writer for Daily Racing Form; and Tom Law, Eclipse Award-winning writer, managing editor for thisishorseracing.com, and president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters.
The Steeplechase Review Committee can select a maximum of three Hall of Fame inductees — any combination of horses, jockeys, and trainers — and requires each of those choices to receive 75 percent approval from the committee.
The 2024 Hall of Fame class, which will also include the contemporary electees and selections made by the Pillars of the Turf Committee, will be announced in late April.
For more information about the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, including upcoming events, please visit www.racingmuseum.org or call (518) 584-0400.
