Hall of Fame stamped himself as a force in the 2025 older male division with his gritty victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Mineshaft S. (G3) at Fair Grounds.
The 4-year-old son of Gun Runner has now won three straight races since returning from an eight-month hiatus on Dec. 1 at Fair Grounds. The chestnut colt is Gun Runner’s fourth stakes winner this year. Overall, Hall of Fame is Gun Runner’s 27th graded winner and 38th black type winner.
Hall of Fame came out of the gate well to take up third in the early running, as Maycocks Bay dictated the pace, with Komorebino Omoide (JPN) pressing the leader. The running order didn’t change until just before the top of the stretch, when Komorebino Omoide took over the top spot. Hall of Fame swung three-wide into the lane, then ran down the new leader in deep stretch to win by a head in 1:42.89 for the 1 1/16-miles on a fast track.
“He’s really putting it together,’ winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s an exciting horse from a tremendous family. It was very impressive today how he showed a new dimension by sitting behind a slow opening half-mile and coming home in a fast time. I’m very thankful we were able to give him the time to fill in and grow into himself. I think the sky is the limit.”
The winner is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi LLC and Brook T. Smith and is now 4-1-0 in seven starts and has earned $322,960.
A TDN Rising Star following his 10-length maiden win in January of 2024, Hall of Fame sold to his owners for $1.4 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale. Out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Flag Day, Hall of Fame has an unraced 3-year-old full brother named Lordship who is currently in training in south Florida.
