Hall of Fame weekend at Goshen

The wait will come to an end Sunday for harness racing’s Hall of Fame class of 2020, which saw its induction day a year ago postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sunday’s ceremony at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame will cap this year’s Hall of Fame weekend, which begins Friday with Grand Circuit racing at Goshen Historic Track.

Friday’s racing at Historic Track, located adjacent to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., features eight Landmark Stakes for 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters. Racing begins at 1 p.m. (EDT). Admission is $5, with children ages 12 and under free. For complete Landmark entries, click here.

Racing continues Saturday with New York Excelsior Series events for 3-year-old pacers and a Billings Series trot for amateur drivers. On Sunday, the track hosts Excelsior Series races for 3-year-old trotters and the Hall of Fame Trot.

Entering the Hall of Fame will be retired Hambletonian Society President and CEO Tom Charters, racetrack owner as well as horse owner and breeder Jeff Gural, trainer/driver Bill Popfinger, and driver Tim Tetrick.

“We have to thank the athletes, these four-legged creatures we get to sit behind, they put their heart and soul out there for us. We wouldn’t be able to do it without them,” said the 39-year-old Tetrick, who already ranks third all-time in driver purses with $231 million and seventh in wins with more than 12,000, prior to last year’s postponement. “To get to be in the Hall of Fame is a dream come true for me. I’m just glad to be able to do something I love. I wake up every morning getting to drive horses. It’s pretty awesome.”

Entering the Communicators Hall of Fame will be author and former publicity director Phil Pikelny and U.S. Trotting Association Media Relations Manager Ken Weingartner.

Also being honored will be the classes of 2020 and 2021 for the Living Horse Hall of Fame: Always B Miki, Bee A Magician, Sweet Lou, Danae, and Precious Beauty (2020) and Chapter Seven, Father Patrick, and Peaceful Way (2021).

Roy Davis, Arlene Siegel, Ken Marshall, Geoff Stein, and Bob Tucker will be inducted as Harness Racing Immortals.

In addition, 2019 Horse of the Year Shartin N and 2020 Horse of the Year Tall Dark Stranger will be honored.

For more information about the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, visit its website here. To learn more about Goshen Historic Track, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA