Seven new members have been elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, led by Smarty Jones, the lone selection in the contemporary category.
Racehorses Decathlon and Hermis and trainer George H. Conway have been chosen by the 1900-59 Historic Review Committee; and Edward L. Bowen, Arthur B. Hancock III, and Richard Ten Broeck have been elected by the Pillars of the Turf Committee.
In the contemporary category, Smarty Jones was the lone candidate to appear on the majority of ballots submitted (50% plus one vote is required for election) from 16 finalists, as chosen by the museum's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Unselected finalists were the racehorses Blind Luck, Game On Dude, Groupie Doll, Havre de Grace, Kona Gold, Lady Eli, and Rags to Riches; trainers Christophe Clement, Kiaran McLaughlin, Kenny McPeek, Graham Motion, Doug O'Neill, John Sadler, and John Shirreffs; and jockey Jorge Chavez.
A total of 157 voters participated in the election from the 171 eligible to cast ballots. The candidates in the Historic Review and Pillars of the Turf categories were required to receive 75% approval from the respective committees to earn election.
The 2025 Hall of Fame class will be enshrined Aug. 1 at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., at 10:30 a.m. ET. The ceremony will be broadcast live on the museum website at racingmuseum.org. The event is open to the public and free to attend. Tom Durkin will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Smarty Jones
Bred in Pennsylvania by Someday Farm, Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality—I'll Get Along, by Smile) raced from 2003-04, winning eight of his nine career starts, including the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) in his sophomore season, and was voted the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old male in 2004. Owned by Pat Chapman and her late husband Roy under their Someday Farm banner, Smarty Jones was trained by John Servis and ridden exclusively by Stewart Elliott.
Speaking shortly after the official Hall of Fame announcement, Pat Chapman expressed delight at being able to deliver the news to Servis that Smarty Jones had been selected for the Hall of Fame, having been notified of the selection ahead of time by the Hall of Fame.
She said she called the trainer and was making casual conversation before asking, "Where do you want to be on Aug. 1?"
"I don't know; it's a ways off," Servis replied.
"You wanna go to Saratoga?" she responded.
"As soon as she said that, I knew," Servis told BloodHorse. "I was like, 'Oh man.' So it was hard for me to keep from getting emotional."
"He was a special horse," he added. "He opened a lot of doors for me, changed my life, you know, and it's 21 years later, he's still popular as hell."
A chestnut colt, Smarty Jones won his first two career starts at Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) in November 2003 before experiencing follow-up success at Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park, and in two-thirds of the Triple Crown, all before massive crowds.
On May 1, 2004, Smarty Jones became the first undefeated Kentucky Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977 with a 2 3/4-length victory over Lion Heart before a crowd of 140,054 at Churchill Downs. Two weeks after his Derby victory, Smarty Jones romped by a record margin of 11 1/2 lengths in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course with 124,351 in attendance. A Belmont Park record 120,139 fans were on hand for a potential Triple Crown sweep in the 2004 Belmont Stakes (G1), but 36-1 longshot Birdstone pulled off the upset, defeating Smarty Jones by a length.
Smarty Jones was retired after the Belmont with a record of 8-1-0 from nine starts and earnings of $7,613,155 (including the bonus from Oaklawn Park). He won his eight races by a combined 47 1/2 lengths.
Speaking of his selection into the Hall of Fame, Pat Chapman said, "Well, it's wonderful news, so well deserved. I think it's long overdue, but I am so happy that it's happening now, and I'm happy for John and Stewart and for everybody that's been on this ride with us, but I'm most happy for Smarty Jones, who worked himself so hard over those few months, gave his all to win those races."
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Edward Bowen
Edward Bowen (1942-2025) was a prolific racing journalist and historian for more than 60 years and served the sport in various other capacities, including 24 years as president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. A native of Welch, W. Va., Bowen was an Eclipse Award-winning journalist, editor in chief of BloodHorse, author of 22 books about horse racing, and chairman of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee from 1987-2024.
From 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2018, Bowen's role with Grayson included raising funds to provide $22 million for research projects that benefited all horses, not just Thoroughbreds. He oversaw the first year that the foundation was able to give out $1 million for equine research.
A trustee of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Bowen also chaired the museum's Historic Review, Steeplechase Review, Pillars of the Turf, and Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor committees at various times in addition to leading the Nominating Committee for 37 years. He was the inaugural recipient of the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Award for meritorious contributions to the museum in 2023. The prior year, Bowen was the Thoroughbred Club of America's Honor Guest. He received numerous other awards over his distinguished career.
"Our whole family is honored and touched," said Ruthie Bowen, Ed Bowen's widow. "Ed did a ton of work on behalf of the museum and the Hall of Fame, and I think he'd be ecstatic to be included. He was totally devoted to it, and it is the ultimate honor."
OBITUARY: Veteran Journalist, Racing Historian Bowen Dies at 82
Arthur Hancock III
Arthur Hancock III was born in Nashville, Tenn., and for six decades has been a significant presence in American racing and breeding through his establishment of Stone Farm in 1970 near Paris, Ky. A member of one of the sport's most distinguished families, Hancock's grandfather, Arthur B. Hancock Sr., founded Claiborne Farm, while his father, Arthur B. "Bull" Hancock Jr., expanded the business to where it became arguably the most important breeding farm in the United States during the 20th century.
After graduating from Vanderbilt University, Hancock moved to the New York City area, where he worked for a year as an apprentice under future Hall of Fame trainer Edward A. Neloy. He then returned to Claiborne as the assistant broodmare and yearling manager under the tutelage of his father. While Hancock's younger brother, Seth, would eventually take over the running of Claiborne Farm, Arthur went out on his own, leasing 100 acres and launching Stone Farm into a premier breeding and racing operation, which earned the family its first win in the Kentucky Derby.
In partnership with one of his longtime clients, Manhattan real estate broker Leone J. Peters, Hancock bred and raced Gato Del Sol, who won the 1982 Derby. Hancock and Peters also teamed up to breed Risen Star, winner of the 1988 Preakness and Belmont stakes. Through H-G-W Partners, Hancock owned and raced Hall of Fame member and 1989 Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, whose 1989 wins included the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Hancock also co-bred 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Hancock raised and sold a second Horse of the Year, Bricks and Mortar (2019), who was campaigned by Klaravich Stables. He has also raced in partnership 1988 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Goodbye Halo and 1999 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and Haskell Invitational winner (G1) Menifee, among others.
In 2020, Hancock was selected as the Thoroughbred Club of America's Honor Guest. Stone Farm, meanwhile, has grown to more than 2,200 acres and has produced more than 200 stakes winners. In his capacity as an industry leader, Hancock has served on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, as a director of Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, and as a member of The Jockey Club. Hancock's leadership has been especially visible in fostering integrity in racing. He co-founded the Water Hay Oats Alliance, a group dedicated to eliminating performance-enhancing drugs in racing. WHOA was influential in the eventual establishment of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority.
“It means the world to me to join my grandfather, my father (as Pillars of the Turf). I’m very appreciative, humbled, and honored by it,” Hancock told BloodHorse after the news was made public April 24.
“They called me last Saturday to tell me that the (committee) had voted unanimously. I was floored, really. Shocked. I think it’s the nicest honor I’ve ever gotten. It’s very nice that they think enough of me to do that and put me in there with all those wonderful, deserving people. I’m 82 and it’s just a wonderful thing.”
Decathlon
Bred in Kentucky by the Nuckols Brothers, Decathlon (Olympia—Dog Blessed, by Bull Dog) raced from 1955-57, compiling a record of 25-8-1 from 42 starts and earnings of $269,530. Purchased at Keeneland in 1954 for $15,500 by Robert J. Dienst and campaigned under his River Divide Farm banner, Decathlon was trained by Rollie Shepp. In his three years of racing, the bay colt won 18 stakes and was twice named champion sprinter (1956-57). He set track records at Monmouth Park, Suffolk Downs, and Tropical Park.
Decathlon had win streaks of both six and five races during his career. During the six-race win streak that stretched from 1956 into 1957, the sprinter carried as much as 135 pounds to victory in the Hialeah Inaugural Handicap.
Following his racing career, Decathlon stood at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky, where he sired 165 winners from 253 foals, including 12 stakes winners. Decathlon died in 1972 at the age of 19.
Hermis
Bred in Kentucky by Hiram Berry, Hermis (Hermence—Katy Of The West, by Spendthrift) raced from 1901-05 with a record of 28-8-6 from 55 starts and earnings of $84,155. A chestnut colt, Hermis was trained by Charles Hughes, Jack McCormick, and Alexander Shields. He raced for a variety of owners, including H. M. Ziegler, L. V. Bell, and Edward R. Thomas (who paid a record $60,000 for the horse), among others. Hermis was retrospectively recognized by The BloodHorse-published book "The Great Ones" as Horse of the Year in 1902 and 1903; champion 3-year-old male in 1902; and champion older male in 1903 and 1904. He was exported to France in 1910 and was sent to Belgium three years later. What became of Hermis is a mystery, as all knowledge of the horse's whereabouts were lost during World War I.
George Conway
George Conway (1873-1939) is best known for training Hall of Famer War Admiral to a sweep of the 1937 Triple Crown and to an overall record of 21-3-1 from 26 starts and earnings of $273,240 from 1936-38. A native of Oceanport, N.J., Conway also conditioned Hall of Fame member Crusader, as well as standouts Speed Boat, War Glory, and War Hero, among others.
Conway became involved in racing in the 1880s as an exercise rider and was training sporadically in the early 1900s before going to work for owner Sam Riddle's powerful stable as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Louis Feustel in 1917. Conway was the stable foreman in 1919 and 1920 when Man o' War was dominating the sport for Riddle. He succeeded Gwyn Tompkins as Riddle's head trainer in 1926 and saddled Crusader to victories in the Belmont Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Suburban Handicap, Havre de Grace Handicap, Maryland Handicap, Dwyer Stakes, and Cincinnati Derby, among others that year. Crusader set track records in the Dwyer and Cincinnati Derby (in which he defeated the Preakness Stakes winner Display) and equaled the track standard in winning the Havre de Grace Handicap. Crusader repeated in the Suburban and won the Delaware Handicap at Havre de Grace in 1927. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Suffering from heart trouble, Conway announced his retirement a week after War Admiral was retired to stud in 1938. Conway died June 20, 1939, at his sister's home in Oceanport.
Richard Ten Broeck
Richard Ten Broeck (1811-92) was one of American racing's most prominent and accomplished figures in the 19th century, enjoying success as a racehorse and racetrack owner, Thoroughbred breeder, and international racing pioneer. During the 1830s, Ten Broeck became associated with Col. William R. Johnson, one of America's most renowned racing figures. By 1840, Ten Broeck was racing horses in his own colors in St. Louis, New Orleans, and New York.
Ten Broeck's stable began to rise to prominence, and he was known as a leading turfman in the South when he took over management of the Bingaman (Louisiana) and Bascombe (Alabama) courses in 1847. In 1851, he purchased Metairie Race Course in New Orleans for $27,000. Under his management, Metairie became the premier track in the country in the decade prior to the Civil War.
His greatest promotion of Metairie was the interstate stakes race known as the Great State Post Stake April 1, 1854. Ten Broeck purchased a colt to run in the race, Darley, owned by Dr. Elisha Warfield. The colt was renamed Lexington and defeated Lecomte in the Great State Post Stake for $20,000. Lexington was regarded as America's finest horse when retired to stud and became a 16-time leading sire in America and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955.
Ten Broeck later became the first American owner to win an important race in England. His Prioress, at odds of 100-1, finished in a triple dead heat in the 1858 Cesarewitch Stakes. Prioress won the run-off, becoming the first horse bred and owned by an American to win in England. Ten Broeck raced in England for around 30 years and became the first American member of the English Jockey Club.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
