Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum facts for kids

The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum is a special place in Aiken, South Carolina. It was created in 1977. This museum celebrates famous Thoroughbred horses. These horses trained in Aiken for races. Some races are on flat tracks, called flat racing. Others are steeplechase, where horses jump over obstacles.

The idea for the museum came from a local group called the Jaycees. They got help from Whitney Tower. He was an expert in horse racing. Whitney Tower worked for Sports Illustrated magazine. He was also a leader at the National Racing Museum.

The museum is located at Hopelands Gardens. This used to be the home of Charles Oliver Iselin and Hope Goddard Iselin. Now, the City of Aiken owns the gardens. The museum is inside the old carriage house and stables. The Hall of Fame honors 40 horses that won important awards. These horses all trained in Aiken. The museum also has many other interesting exhibits about horse racing.

Honoring Racing Legends

The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame celebrates horses that achieved greatness. These horses trained right here in Aiken. Being "inducted" means a horse is recognized for its amazing achievements. Many of these horses won the prestigious Eclipse Award. This award is like an Oscar for racehorses.

Famous Horses Inducted

Here are some of the incredible horses honored in the Hall of Fame:

See also

• U.S. Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame