TheDailyJournal

Trainer Nafzger,

 jockey Prado enter Hall

||| Jockey Edgar Prado and trainer Carl Nafzger, who between them have three Kentucky Derby wins, led a group of six new inductees into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on Monday. ||| Inducted with Prado and Nafzger were retired jockey Ismael Valenzuela and three horses: Manila, Inside Information and Ancient Title.

Jockey Edgar Prado, 41, is best known for having ridden the ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro. He was also aboard when Barbaro broke down two weeks later in the Preakness. The horse ultimately had to be destroyed as a result of the injuries.
"I want to thank God for making me 5-foot-3 and 114 pounds so all this could happen," Prado said to an appreciative, capacity crowd gathered at the Hall across the street from Saratoga Race Course.
During his acceptance speech, Prado thanked Barbaro's connections, "for giving me the best trip of my life."
A native of Lima, Peru, he led the nation in victories from 1997-99 while based in Maryland. Since relocating to New York, he has been among the earnings leaders and has added dozens of graded stakes wins, including two Belmont Stakes, aboard Sarava in 2002 and Birdstone in 2004. Birdstone also captured the Travers Stakes that year. Prado won the Eclipse Award as the champion jockey of 2006.
Nafzger, 66, a top bull rider in the 1960s before turning to training, was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame earlier this year.
He won the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic with Unbridled in 1990 and won his second Derby with Street Sense in 2007.
Street Sense, the only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby, also won the Travers, the second time a Nafzger-trained horse won The Midsummer's Derby.
He won Saratoga's signature event with Unshaded in 2000. Nafzger also trained Banshee Breeze, the 3-year-old filly champion of 1998.
"If you don't believe in God, study my life," Nafzger said.
"It's been a miracle. The horse has taken me from Texas to the Hall of Fame. I haven't done anything. I'm here because of the horses. We're all here today because horses have brought us together."

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