Racing Hall of Fame announces 2005 nominees

By: Sports Network

Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - Trainer Nick Zito and jockey

Jose Santos are among the nominees for the 2005 Racing Hall of Fame.

John von Stade, president of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame,

announced the nominees Monday. A total of 10 horses, five jockeys and five

 trainers are on the ballot for induction.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, which

 is located in Saratoga Springs. The induction ceremony will be held on

Monday, August 8.

Zito added the Belmont Stakes to his long list of victories last year when Birdstone

 denied Smarty Jones the Triple Crown. He has also captured the Kentucky

Derby twice -- with Strike the Gold and Go for Gin -- and the Preakness

 Stakes -- with Louis Quatorze.

Other trainers nominated included John Veitch, who worked with Hall of Famer

Alydar, as well as Dale Baird, Mel Stute and Gary Jones.

Santos was the rider of Funny Cide, the 2003 winner of the Kentucky Derby and

 Preakness Stakes, and a winner of six Breeders' Cup races. Other jockeys

 nominated included Eddie Maple, winner of two Belmont Stakes, Eclipse Award

winner Craig Perret, recently retired Randy Romero and Ismael Valenzuela.

Nominated in the Contemporary Male Horse category are 1997 Kentucky Derby

 and Preakness Stakes winner Silver Charm, two-time Eclipse Award winner

 Housebuster, multiple stakes winner Best Pal, Eclipse Award winner Manila

 and two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Lure.

Silverbulletday heads the list of nominees in the Contemporary Female

category. Silverbulletday was a two-time Eclipse Award winner. Also nominated

 are Eclipse Award winner Mom's Command, Open Mind -- who won two

Eclipse Awards -- former champion older female Sky Beauty and 1995 Breeders'

 Cup Distaff winner Inside Information.

The panel that votes for the nominees is comprised of 163 members, who can

 choose up to three finalists in each category. A nominee must receive at least

75 percent of the ballots cast to gain entry to the Hall of Fame. The new rules

make it possible that a category will not have a nominee inducted to the Hall of Fame.

The names of this year's inductees will announced on May 31 during a teleconference.