Racing Honors Best of the Best at Hall of Fame Ceremony

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Much like he rides Thoroughbreds, jockey Joel Rosario turned in patient, thorough and well-timed remarks Friday during his induction into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

Rosario was the closer of the nine-member Class of 2024 at the ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion. Dominican Republic diplomat and horse owner Jose Singer introduced Rosario, noting that he was the first jockey from their country to be elected to the Hall of Fame. After Singer helped him don his Hall of Fame blazer, Rosario stepped to the podium and delivered his speech, in English and some in Spanish.

“I am very thankful for the many opportunities that I have been given and for all the people that have supported me,” he said. “I never thought as a young kid growing up in the Dominican Republic playing baseball and riding my horses really quickly to the grocery store that I would make it to the Hall of Fame. It has taken a lot of hard work, dedication and the support of many people in my life to be where I am today.”

Rosario started his riding career in the Dominican Republic at the age of 14 and moved to Northern California six years later, in 2006. He quickly found success and switched to the higher-profile Southern California circuit within a year. After becoming a star while winning several meet titles, Rosario relocated to the East Coast with agent Ron Anderson in 2012. Rosario entered the week ranked just outside the top 100 in career victories at 3,632, but with $322,237,757 he is fourth on the career earnings list. He has 95 Grade I victories.

Rosario, 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride), were all elected in the contemporary division in their first year of eligibility. Also inducted in the 90-minute ceremony were: jockey Abe Hawkins and racehorses Aristides and Lecomte, selected by the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee; and from the Pillars of the Turf Committee, owners Harry F. Guggenheim and Clement L. Hirsch, and Joe Hirsch, the legendary turf writer at the Daily Racing Form. Hirsch's induction included a humorous video tribute by NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, who shared a Manhattan apartment with Hirsch during his early years with the New York Jets.

Rosario named all of the agents he has worked with the years, especially Anderson, with whom has become a national-level, big-race rider.

“I would like to thank all the trainers and owners, he said. “Without you I wouldn't be here today. Thank you very much. I also like to thank all the jockeys, valets, grooms, exercise riders. It's a lot of fun to work with you every day.”

Rosario paused briefly and smiled.

“Thank you to all the horses,” he said. “Without the horses, I wouldn't be here today.”

Before Rosario's time on the stage, Justify and Gun Runner were saluted for what were distinguished but different careers.

Gun Runner was bred by Ben Leon's Besilu Stables and acquired as a yearling in a 52-horse bloodstock deal by Three Chimneys Farm. The colt was being pointed for a 2-year-old sale in 2015, but Three Chimneys instead formed a racing partnership with Winchell Thoroughbreds owned by Ron Winchell. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen trained Gun Runner, who compiled a 15-3-2 record in 19 starts and earned $15,988,500.

“Gun Runner has not only excelled as a racehorse,” said Rodrigo Borges Torrealba of Three Chimneys, “but has also become an extraordinary stallion, the cornerstone of our breeding operations at Three Chimneys Farm.”

Torrealba saluted Leon's breeding and the partnership with Winchell on Gun Runner, who he described as a “once-in-a-lifetime horse.”

“Of course, no mention of Gun Runner would be complete without praising the patient and brilliant training of Steve Asmussen and his team,” he said. “Steve, your dedication and expertise played a pivotal role in Gun Runner's success. Additionally, Florent Geroux's smooth and confident rides were instrumental every time he was in the saddle.”

Asmussen praised the owners for taking on the risk of running Gun Runner at 4. The colt was at his best that season, with five wins and a second in six starts, capped by a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. In addition to Horse of the Year he was the older male champion.

Rodrigo Torrealba, Ron Winchell, and Steve Asmussen | Mike Kane

“Gun Runner did quite enough where he could have retired as a 3-year-old and gone on to a great career at stud,” Winchell said. “However, running him as 4-year-old is what got him into the Hall of Fame.”

Winchell said Gun Runner's 12 victories only tell part of the story. He pointed to the chestnut's Beyer Speed Figures as a 4-year-old.

“When you drill down and look at his race record, race by race, I've never seen a record where a horse got faster every start,” Winchell said.

Justify earned his place in the Hall of Fame with a short, but brilliant career with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He reached the wire first in all six starts and completed his Triple Crown sweep with a 1 ¾-lengths victory in the GI Belmont Stakes. Justify was owned by Kenny Troutt's WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners and Starlight Racing.

“Justify took us all on a ride of a lifetime,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO and racing manager. “When WinStar Farm started in 2000, we came up with the motto “Dream Big.” This is a hard business. Seven days a week. A lot of discouraging news and disappointments. We've all been there.

“I don't know if you can speak something into existence, but every year from 2000 to 2018 Kenny Trout would dream about winning the Triple Crown. If the Derby winner didn't win the Preakness, Kenny would joke, 'that saves another Triple Crown, so we can be the first one in a while.' I would say, 'Kenny, that's not going to happen. You can't think like that. You've set your sights to high.' But that's who Kenny is and that's what makes it special and here we are inducting the 13th Triple Crown winner into the Hall of Fame.”

Walden said Justify – the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Derby without a start at 2 – never had a bad day on the track and had a special aura about him. He applauded the work of Baffert, who was at the ceremony.

“Bob, thank you for the incredible job you did with Justify to make the Kentucky Derby after making his first start on February 18,” Walden said. “Breaking the curse of Apollo takes three things: A great horse, a little good fortune and a lot of experience. You have all three.”

Walden said that during a dinner in Saratoga after the Belmont Stakes in June, the conversation turned to bucket list items. When it was Troutt's turn, his answer was: win another Triple Crown.

“We've had many great memories together,” Walden said.  “It's been a magical ride from February 18 to June 9th. We will forever be grateful to our version of Big Red. So, thank you Justify for allowing us to dream big. The dream continues for all of us in this room.”