N.E. Turf Writers elect Hall of Fame Class of 2009

EAST BOSTON – The New England Turf Writers Association has elected its Hall of Fame Class of 2009, which will be honored along with the 2008 NETWA award winners at the organization’s 67th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, July 16, at the Danversport Yacht Club in Danvers.The class consists of champion Seabiscuit, jockey Chris McCarron, trainer Edward “Ned” Allard, owner and breeder Gil Campbell and reporter and handicapper Dave Wilson. The Hall of Fame was founded in 2005.Seabiscuit was a regular on the New England racing circuit prior to becoming a national icon, having competed at Suffolk Downs and Agawam, Narragansett (RI) and Rockingham (NH) parks. He made 22 total starts in New England, including 14 as a two-year-old, winning twice at both Suffolk Downs and Narragansett and once at Agawam. Seabiscuit returned to New England in 1937 to win the Massachusetts Handicap with jockey Red Pollard.McCarron retired in 2002 as one of the most decorated jockeys in the history of thoroughbred racing. His career purse earnings of over $264,000,000 were at the time the most ever posted by a rider, and he is one of just seven jockeys to have won more than 7,000 races. McCarron grew up in Dorchester, and his introduction to thoroughbred racing began on the backsides of both Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. McCarron won the Eclipse Award as Champion Apprentice Jockey in 1974 and as a journeyman in 1980. He won the MassCap, Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes each on two occasions; in addition, he won nine Breeders’ Cup races, including five victories in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. His MassCap victory aboard Waquoit in 1987 is one of the most historic moments in New England racing history.Allard began his training career in 1970 at Lincoln Downs and became one of the leading trainers in New England for the next two decades. Allard gained national attention in 1985, conditioning Eclipse Award-winning filly Mom’s Command for New England Racing Hall of Famer Peter Fuller. Since moving out of the region, Allard has continued to support New England racing, shipping his horses in on a regular basis. In 2008, he won the Mom’s Command Stakes at Suffolk Downs with Anofficerandalady. Over the course of his career, Allard has amassed approximately 2,600 wins, including 175 stakes, nearly half of which were at New England tracks.Campbell, a prominent local real estate developer, bought an interest in his first horse, Shananie, who he co-owned with Fuller. Shananie went on to become a stakes winner on both coasts, but enjoyed a lot of his early success at Suffolk Downs. Campbell also campaigned local stakes winners Von Groovey, Demetroula and Unreal Madness, among others. In addition, Campbell also bred multiple Grade I winner Marlin and bred, owned and campaigned millionaire Blazing Sword and Grade II winner Ivanavinalot. Campbell remains a supporter of New England racing and has a string of horses with Allard.The late Wilson was known as “The King” for good reason. For four decades as handicapper and reporter for the Boston Record American, he was the man the vast majority of horse players relied on to pick a winner for them and keep them updated on all the racing news. It could be said that Wilson sold more newspapers than any reporter the paper ever had. People would wait at the newsstands for the Record American “Green Sheet” to come out at 11 p.m. just to see who The King would pick in the next day’s races.The names of this year’s inductees will be added to a plaque that is on permanent display in the New England Thoroughbred racing exhibit at the Sports Museum in the TD BankNorth Garden.The panel of voters consisted of current active NETWA members. A two-thirds majority among the voters was required for election.Tickets for the awards dinner are $60 each, and tables of 10 are available for $600. To purchase tickets, call 617-568-3220.