By Ben Massam
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Hall of Fame class of 2018 may have lacked the modern ties that characterized classes in recent years, but there was no shortage of reverence for the sport's rich history at the induction ceremony held Friday morning at Fasig-Tipton's Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs. With 12 “Pillars of the Turf,” including iconic figures such as Cot Campbell and the late Penny Chenery, being honored, the number of overall Hall members in that category was doubled.
“Today we are here to honor and celebrate the history,” said NBC sportscaster Kenny Rice, who served as the event's emcee. “When you see the inductees we have, we're talking about the embodiment of the history of racing and what it has meant from then until now.”
Campbell, an innovator in the realm of racing partnerships through his creation of the massively successful Dogwood Stable, gave a heartfelt speech reflecting on his passion for the sport.
“I'm honored to be a Pillar of the Turf and I'm flabbergasted to be a Pillar of the Turf,” said Campbell, joking that he is the only “Pillar” who is still alive. “Much of my superb life is due to racing horses…I am probably the only person in this building–or maybe this town–who ever saw Man o' War. I want to thank Man o' War because he lit the fuse that caused me to pursue this wonderful life.”
Chenery, celebrated as a pioneering woman in the game of racing and best known as the owner of 1973 Triple Crown hero Secretariat, took her rightful place in the Hall and was represented by her daughter, Kate Chenery Tweedy.
“She really learned an admiration for horses as athletes,” Tweedy said, stressing the importance of aftercare as a legacy of Chenery's contributions to the industry.
The lone contemporary inductee to the Hall of Fame was Phipps Stable's Heavenly Prize, and trainer Shug McGaughey was on hand to accept the award on behalf of his long-time clients. McGaughey fondly recalled the day Heavenly Prize broke her maiden, which was part of a split-division race. The other division was captured by commonly owned and trained champion Inside Information, touching off a particularly memorable time in the Phipps Family's extensive history.
“I'd like to thank the entire Phipps family for giving me the opportunity to train their wonderful horses over the past 30 years or so,” McGaughey said, adding praise for Claiborne Farm for their role in the family's success. Claiborne founder Arthur B. Hancock, Sr. was also inducted later in the morning.
Fittingly, on the eve of the GI Whitney S., the ceremony included a major Whitney family presence with the induction of William Collins Whitney, Harry Payne Whitney and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney. Mary Lou Whitney and Lev Miller, nephew of C.V. Whitney, were on hand to accept the honor. Miller spoke of a “generational addiction” to racing present in the family and expressed pride in the entirety of the Whitneys' accomplishments.
Also inducted as “Pillars of the Turf” were Charles H. Strub and Elias J. Baldwin and John W. Galbreath, an instrumental figure in the growth of New York racing and the founder of Darby Dan. Darby Dan's John Phillips accepted the award on behalf of his grandfather and emphasized how the farm continues to pursue a “great passion.”
The New York racing theme continued with the induction of “Pillars” John Morrissey and August Belmont I.
Hal Price Headley, meanwhile, was remembered primarily for his instrumental role in the foundation of Keeneland Race Course.
“He loved his horses and was passionate about the horse,” said Hal Price Headley's grandson Headley Bell. “He was passionate about sharing that experience with the fans. And truly, there is no better example of that than what we see at Keeneland.”
The record-setting horse Preakness and trainer William Lakeland added some 19th-Century flavor to the 2018 class.
The Hall of Fame also rolled out plans for a new interactive theater which will bring visitors closer to the most iconic achievements by members of the Hall. John Hendrickson, husband of Mary Lou Whitney, said the project will require a $20-million investment and will require industry-wide participation–a goal which set off on the right foot with a $1-million donation from Whitney and Hendrickson.
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