Desormeaux on Ballot for Horse Racing Hall

Other than jockey Kent Desormeaux, the nominations for this year’s Racing Hall of Fame election have an overwhelming East Coast flavor.

Desormeaux, who rides in Southern California, is on the ballot with Eddie Maple, Randy Romero and Jose Santos. Maple and Romero are retired.

The trainer nominees, all New York-based active conditioners, are Shug McGaughey, Nick Zito and John Veitch.

The male horses up for election are Lure, Manila and Skip Away. The female nominees are Flawlessly, Mom’s Command and Sky Beauty.

Only one nominee in each category gets elected. The electorate includes about 150 turf writers and racing historians. The winners will be announced May 25 and enshrinement is scheduled for Aug. 9 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

-- Bill Christine