Jockey Randy Romero takes a long ride, with a lot of spills, to horse racing’s Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame bugle sounds for Romero, Point Given

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Jockey Randy Romero spent a career battered by injuries, with trips to the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle aboard Go for Wand and undefeated Personal Ensign.

On Friday, he made it to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

“Been a long time waiting for this,” he said in a ceremony at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion. “Dreams do come true. I especially want to thank my doctors. Must be 50 of them.”

He was inducted with jockey Don Pierce, champion horses Point Given, Azeri and Best Pal, the late California-based trainer Buster Millerick and Harry Bassett, a 19th century champion horse.

Romero won 4,294 races, including 122 graded stakes, during a career that went from 1973 to 1999. He won riding titles at 10 tracks. Romero’s mounts earned purses totaling more than $75 million. In one day at Keeneland, he was first to the wire in five straight races and captured six on the day.

“Randy was Charlie Hustle, the Pete Rose of racing,” said former Calder Race Course president Ken Dunn, who introduced Romero.

Point Given dominated the 2001 season, winning Horse of the Year and champion male 3-year-old. After finishing fifth in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, he rallied to win the Preakness and Belmont, the Haskell and Travers.

He was the first horse to win four straight races with $1 million purses. Point Given was retired following the Travers because of an injury and finished his career with nine wins in 13 starts and $3.9 million in earnings.

“In my mind, he was probably the best horse I’ve ever trained,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who was inducted a year ago. “If I had one race in my career that I could take back, it would be the 2001 Kentucky Derby. He never lost another race.”

Azeri was Horse of the Year in 2002 and Champion Older Female in 2002-04. She won 17 of 24 races, including 11 Grade 1 stakes. As a 4-year-old, Azeri won eight of nine starts, including Grade 1 victories in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap, Apple Blossom Handicap, Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap and Vanity Handicap.

Azeri retired as the leader in earnings among females — since surpassed by Zenyatta — with $4,079,820.

Best Pal, a gelding, won 18 of 47 career starts, earning more than $5.6 million during his six-year career. As a 2-year-old, Best Pal won five stakes, including Grade 1 victories in the Norfolk and Hollywood Futurity. In 1991, he was second in the Kentucky Derby, before returning west to win the Swaps Stakes and defeat older stars Twilight Agenda and Unbridled in the Pacific Classic. As a 4-year-old, Best Pal won the San Fernando, Charles H. Strub Stakes, Santa Anita Handicap and Oaklawn Handicap in succession.

Millerick, Pierce and Harry Bassett were chosen for induction by the Historic Review Committee.

Millerick’s nearly 50-year career included seven seasons training Hall of Famer Native Diver, whose 37 wins included three consecutive Hollywood Gold Cups. Pierce rode for some of his era’s top trainers and led all North American jockeys with 32 stakes wins in 1973. Harry Bassett was a champion at age 2 in 1870 and unbeaten champion at 3.