Hall of Fame Roundup: Let's Hear it for the Geldings

At around three o'clock in the afternoon on the day he was nominated to the Hall of Fame, Game On Dude engaged in his usual game of halter tag with Little Mike, after which both geldings turned their rumps to the fence, counted to three, and then raced off in a daily ritual that has had Old Friends Farm president Michael Blowen shaking his head ever since the two became paddock-mates in 2016.

"Little Mike is fast, but Game On Dude is always determined not to lose," Blowen said. "And you know, as competitive as he was as a racehorse, he is just the most gentle, sociable guy in retirement. Our visitors love him."

The excellent adventures of Mike and Dude could have some Hall of Fame flair if 50% plus one of the 160 or so voters are impressed enough with Game On Dude's record of dominance in California over three memorable seasons. They have been inspired in the past by such California-based geldings as Best Pal, Lava Man, Ancient Title, and Native Diver, so it's not a stretch.

His accumulation of three wins in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), two in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), and another in the Pacific Classic (G1) isolates Game On Dude as a 1 1/4-mile main track performer of rare quality. His earnings of nearly $6.5 million were racked up the old-fashioned way, without a victory in a Breeders' Cup event, although he was a heart-breaking second in the 2011 edition of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Monday's announcement of the 2020 Hall of Fame nominees provided a momentary respite from the trials and tribulations of the game. A little light-hearted controversy is welcomed, and anyway, the Hall of Fame is more like a playground for fond memories. Harmless arguments are never resolved, but there's fun in the squabbling before the results are announced in May.

Both Game On Dude and two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan are eligible for the first time this year after enjoying almost parallel careers in their areas of expertise. The good news is, they can both be elected, since voters can vote for any or all of the 11 names on the 2020 ballot. Don't worry—the Hall of Fame is budgeted for as many plaques as the voters deem necessary.

Wise Dan was foaled on Feb. 20, 2007, at Patchen Wilkes Farm on the east side of Lexington. Two months later, Game On Dude hit the ground on the west side of town at Adena Springs. Over the next seven years, their only close encounters came at Breeders' Cup gatherings at Santa Anita in 2012 and 2013, when Wise Dan captured the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) and Game On Dude fared poorly in those versions of the Classic over his home court.

It will be noted that this year's Hall of Fame ballot, at least among equines, is decidedly lacking in testosterone. Besides Game On Dude and Wise Dan, the gelding Kona Gold, a peerless sprinter, is making another appeal to voters who appreciate a long and accomplished career. They are joined by the all-star female candidates Havre de Grace, Blind Luck, and Rags to Riches.

The ballot seems in keeping with the trend of the most recent decade. Between 2010-19, there were 13 females elected to the Hall of Fame and two geldings, while only six entire males made the grade, and none since Curlin , in 2014.

As a member of the Hall of Fame nominating committee, I can assure fans there has not developed a prejudice against stallions entering the Hall. Stars like American Pharoah  and California Chrome  are on the eligibility horizon. But in case no one has noticed, accomplished colts are being retired at a rate in recent years that discourages comparison to traditional Hall of Fame standards. In fact, in this century there have been only two entire males who did not race at age 4 elected to the Hall of Fame: A.P. Indy and Point Given.

So let's hear it for the geldings. They make racing a better place. Oldtimers like Roseben, Exterminator, Old Rosebud, Armed, Kelso, and Forego could use some fresh company on the hallowed walls of the Hall. Those walls, along with the rest of the National Museum of Racing on Union Avenue, are undergoing major renovations. The candidates elected from the current group of nominees—which also includes jockey Corey Nakatani and trainers Mark Casse, David Whiteley, Christophe Clement, and Doug O'Neill—will be part of the unveiling this summer.

But for those who can't make it to Saratoga Springs for the Hall of Fame ceremony, they might get just as much bang for the travel buck showing up in Georgetown, near Lexington, in early July. That's when a certain two-time Horse of the Year makes the short trip from the farm of his trainer, Charlie Lopresti, to celebrate Wise Dan Day at Old Friends Farm. Only this time around, he might have to share the stage with Game On Dude.