Originally published Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 11:40 AM

11 finalists chosen for Racing Hall of Fame

Bob Baffert and two champion horses he trained are among the 11 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. —

Bob Baffert and two champion horses he trained are among the 11 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

The other finalists announced Wednesday are the Baffert-trained Point Given and Silverbulletday; jockeys Eddie Maple, Randy Romero and Alex Solis; trainer Robert Wheeler; and Open Mind, Sky Beauty, Best Pal and Tiznow.

Next month, the hall's voting panel will select one name in each of four categories: contemporary female horses, contemporary male horses, jockeys and trainers. The candidate with the highest number of votes in their category will be inducted. Inductees will be announced in late April.

Induction ceremonies are Aug. 14 at the Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs.

Baffert becomes a finalist in the first year he was listed on the ballot by the hall's nominating committee, although he was technically eligible the past two years. He trained his first thoroughbred in 1979, but there were several years he did not have any thoroughbreds.

Trainers must be licensed and actively involved with thoroughbreds for 25 years or have been retired for a minimum of five years to be eligible for the hall.

Baffert won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem, but failed to complete the Triple Crown sweep in the Belmont Stakes each time. He trained 10 champions, including 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given, who won the Preakness and the Belmont.

Maple and Romero each rode more than 4,000 winners. Maple had two Belmont wins among his victories, while Romero won riding titles at 10 different tracks. Solis has won more than 4,600 races, including the 1986 Preakness with Snow Chief.

Wheeler, who died in 1992, trained 56 stakes winners, including Silver Spoon, the co-champion 3-year-old filly of 1959.

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On the net: http://www.racingmuseum.org

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