Jockey Wayne D. Wright, America's leading rider in 1934 and 1936, and racehorse Tom Ochiltree (Lexington), winner of the 1875 GI Preakness S., have been elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame by the Historic Review Committee.
They join contemporary selections Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro), Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Ramon Dominguez in the Hall of Fame Class of 2016. The Pillars of the Turf selections will be announced later this month and the induction ceremony will be held Friday, Aug. 12 at 10:30a.m. in the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion.
Wright, who began riding in 1932 at age 15, won the GI Kentucky Derby, Preakness and GI Belmont S. in separate years, winning his first Triple Crown race at age 17 when he piloted Peace Chance to a victory in the Belmont. He won the 1942 Derby with Shut Out and the 1945 Preakness with Polynesian. The Idaho native, who also piloted Triple Crown winners War Admiral and Omaha and Hall of Famer Eight Thirty, retired in 1950 with 1,492 career wins from 9,764 mounts. He worked as trainer from 1950-1956.
Tom Ochiltree, who raced from 1975 to 1877, has a record of 33-21-5-3 and earnings of $41,445. Winning his debut at Pimlico, he returned just two days later to win the 1 1/2-mile Preakness for future Hall of Famers R. W. Walden and jockey Lloyd Hughes. The colt was not quite the same after the Preakness, failing to land a blow in his next several starts, and was given time off. Returning under new trainer Anthony Taylor, Tom Ochiltree won a pair of stakes and was sold to George Lorillard prior to 1876 season, who returned the horse to Walden. He won seven of nine starts that year, all of which were stakes.
The Historic Review Committee is chaired by Michael Veitch and includes racing historians Edward L. Bowen, Al Carter, Jane Goldstein, Ken Grayson, Steve Haskin, Jay Hovdey, Bill Mooney, Bill Nack, Mary Simon, Jon von Stade and Gary West.
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