The Spa Spot: Morning Breeze
The fourth Friday and 19th day of the season will be a busy one with a 10-race program, the annual Hall of Fame induction and an appearance by injured New York Yankees star Mariano Rivera. The first post is at 1 p.m.
- The Hall of Fame induction ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion. Six new Hall of Famers will be honored and a host of returning Hall of Famers will be recognized. It's a feel-good couple of hours for racing and its fans.
- Hall of Fame members will participate in a free autograph session at 2:30 p.m. outside the silks room behind the jockeys' quarters.
- Rivera, who will be in baseball's Hall of Fame the moment he is eligible, will be at the track during the afternoon to participate in a press conference at 12:30 and will present the trophy after the third race, which has been named in his honor.
- The $200,00 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass is the feature. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who built his reputation on dirt, has a pair of contenders in the race, Optimizer and Skyring.