Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - Monday was Hall of Fame Day
at Saratoga Race Course as the annual celebration honors contributors to
thoroughbred racing.
Those inducted into racing's Hall of Fame were trainer Shug McGaughey, jockey
Kent Desormeaux, former Horse of the Year Skip Away and the mare Flawlessly.
Also added to the museum were historical figures Bowl of Flowers and jockey
Jimmy Winkfield.
In the Hall of Fame Handicap, even-money favorite Artie Schiller came from
off the pace to post his fourth win of the year. Ridden by Richard Migliore,
the colt solidified his position as the top grass running three-year-old.
Jersey Derby winner Icy Atlantic and Street Theatre battled for the lead in
the 1 1/8 mile turf race. The two were on the front end up the backstretch
and around the turn for home. Also getting involved in the race was Second
Performance.
Coming out of the turn, Street Theatre almost went down after running up to
Icy Atlantic. Surging on the outside came Artie Schiller and the favorite
ran away from the field to post a 4 1/2 length victory.
Finishing second was Mustanfar followed by Good Reward and Second Performance
in the eight horse field. The time for National Museum of Racing Hall of
Fame Handicap was 1:47.71.
Artie Schiller returned $4.00, $2.90 and $2.60. Mustanfar paid $6.80 and
$4.90, and Good Reward paid $5.30 for show.
McGaughey trained Easy Goer to the 1989 Belmont Stakes, denying Sunday
Silence's bid for the Triple Crown, and is an eight-time Breeders' Cup
winner. He has won 1,363 races, including 237 graded stakes, with earnings
of nearly $83 million.
Desormeaux also came close to a Triple Crown in 1998 aboard Real Quiet,
finishing a nose behind Victory Gallop in the Belmont. He has won Eclipse
Awards as both an apprentice and established jockey, and his one-year
record of 598 wins still stands.
Skip Away was the Horse of the Year at age five in 1998 after capturing
the three-year-old title and older male crown previously. He won 18 of his
38 races, including the 1997 Breeders' Cup Classic, and earned more than
$9.6 million.
