Alma North, Richard’s Kid and Shine Again — three Grade 1 winners who, combined, raced 17 years, made 159 starts, won 30 stakes and earned four Maryland-bred Horse of the Year titles– have been selected for induction into the Maryland Thoroughbred Hall of Fame for 2024 after a vote by a committee of Maryland racing industry members coordinated by the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland Racing Media Association.

The newest Hall of Fame members will be celebrated during a ceremony on opening day of the Timonium race meet, after the fourth race, on Friday, Aug. 23.

“This year’s inductees are indicative of the reach of our great Maryland-bred horses and their breeders. Mr. Meyerhoff, Mrs. DuPont, Dr. Leonard and the Bender family represented some of Maryland’s most dedicated and successful breeders,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “The voters each year work hard to evaluate the choices and come up with their selections so, with a tie in the voting, we will induct three horses this year.” 

Alma North, a daughter of Northern Dancer born in 1968, was named 1971 Maryland-bred Horse of the Year after a 3-year-old season in which she made 27 starts and won or placed 19 times – 12 in stakes. Bred by the J.I.B. Farms, a partnership between Dr. Robert A. Leonard and Stanley Bender, she raced for Eugene Mori’s East Acres after being at purchased by Saratoga as a yearling for $15,000. 

Trained by Frank J. Zitto and a stakes winner on dirt and turf, Alma North made 78 starts in less than four years, won 23, was second 14 times and third in another 18. Her 15 career stakes included four graded in 1973, topped by the Grade 1 Matchmaker at Atlantic City while equaling the track record. Counted among 20 stakes-placings were the Alabama, Spinster and 1972 Matchmaker, in which she was disqualified to third after leading throughout and crossing the wire first, ahead of champion Numbered Account. During her 3-year-old season she contested the Monmouth Invitational (now known as the Haskell) and finished third behind West Coast Scout, who set a stakes record, with Belmont Stakes winner Pass Catcher and Canadian Horse of the Year Kennedy Road trailing behind her.

Back-to-back winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar, Richard’s Kid started his career on the East Coast for his breeder, Robert Meyerhoff’s Fitzhugh LLC and trainer Dickie Small, for whom the big bay was named. A distance-loving specialist, Richard’s Kid was sold privately to Arnold Zetcher in the spring of 2009 and turned over to Bob Baffert, who guided him through the middle of his 47-start career to not only the Pacific Classic wins, but also victories in the Grade 1 Goodwood, Grade 2 San Antonio and twice in the Cougar II Handicap (once a Grade 3). After finishing his 2010 season with consecutive Grade 1 triumphs, he was sent to Dubai where he raced for more than a year with trainer Satish Seemar. Upon his return to the states in the spring of 2012 he set a new track record in his first start back at Hollywood Park, and two starts later set a track record at Del Mar.

Richard’s Kid was sold twice more during his career, to Zabeel Racing in 2010 and eventually to Dave Kenney, Triple B Farms (Boghossian), Westside Rentals.com, et al, midway through the 2012 season, when he was turned over to trainer Doug O’Neill. The last of his dozen wins came from O’Neill barn when recording his third Cougar II Handicap-G3 in 2013. He retired to stud having won eight stakes, six graded, placed in 10 others, set two track records, earned $2,482,259, and was named Maryland-bred Horse of the Year and champion older male in 2009 and 2010. He is the third member of the Hall of Fame bred by Meyerhoff, joining Broad Brush and Concern.

A Maryland-bred champion over three consecutive years, including Horse of the Year in 2003, Allaire duPont’s fourth-generation homebred Shine Again was one of the most consistent racemares to ever come out of Maryland. When she retired, not only had she finished in the top three in 31 of her 34 starts, she ranked as the ninth-leading Maryland-bred money-earner of all time, and the second-leading female behind only Safely Kept.

Trained by Allen Jerkens, the daughter of Wild Again won back-to-back runnings of Saratoga’s Ballerina Handicap-G1 and missed a third win by a nose. She came equally close in taking three consecutive runnings of the First Flight Handicap-G2. Named Maryland-bred champion sprinter twice and champion older mare three times, Shine Again won or placed in 20 stakes in her career, 18 graded. She retired after her 6-year-old season in 2003 with earnings of $1,271,840. 

“What jumps out at you about all three of this year’s inductees is their longevity,” said Maryland Racing Media Association president Frank Vespe. “In our era of shortened careers, it’s refreshing to see horses that made dozens of starts and competed successfully at the highest level over multiple seasons. In fact, all three won or placed in top-level stakes in at least three different years.”

Under the collaboration of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland Racing Media Association, the Hall of Fame was initiated in 2013 as a means of celebrating the excellence of state-bred Thoroughbred horses and debuted with an inaugural class of 12. There are now 36 members. Alma North, Richard’s Kid and Shine Again join MTHOF members Awad, Ben’s Cat, Broad Brush, Caesar’s Wish, Challedon, Cigar, Concern, Conniver, Dave’s Friend, Deputed Testamony, Devil’s Bag, El Gran Senor, Find, Gallorette, Heavenly Cause, Jameela, J. O. Tobin, Kauai King, Little Bold John, Politely, Safely Kept, Smoke Glacken, Social Outcast, Star de Naskra, Twixt, Vertex, What a Summer and Youth and steeplechasers Elkridge, Good Night Shirt, Jay Trump, Mountain Dew and Tuscalee. 

The newest honorees, with biographies, photos, videos, and complete race records, will be showcased online at www.mdthoroughbredhalloffame.com. 

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!