Eleven new members have been elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, headed by late trainers Christophe Clement and John A. Shirreffs, plus racehorse Kona Gold. Additionally, Kentucky-bred Gulch, Virginia-bred Mongo and the late trainer David A. Whiteley were chosen in the Historic Review Category; and the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, Dr. Robert Copelan, Seth W. Hancock, G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. and the late Joseph E. Widener were elected by the Pillars of the Turf Committee.Clement, Shirreffs and Kona Gold were chosen on the majority of ballots submitted (50 percent plus one vote is required for election). A total of 143 voters (92.8 percent) participated from the 154 eligible to cast ballots. In the Historic Review and Pillars of the Turf categories, 75 percent approval from the respective committees is required for election.The 2026 Hall of Fame Class will be enshrined at 10:30 a.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 7, at Fasig-Tipton's Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The event will be aired live on the Museum website. It is open to the public and free to attend. Renowned broadcaster Charlsie Cantey will serve as the master of ceremonies.Christophe Clement (1965-2025), a native of Paris, France, won 2,576 races with purse earnings of $184,127,449 million (12th all time) in a career that spanned from 1991 through 2025. He trained three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, winner of four straight Grade 1s on the turf in 2009, as well as 2014 GI Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, who also won consecutive runnings of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2014 and 2015. Clement won 286 graded stakes. His Grade I wins included multiple editions of the Beverly D. (2001, 2007, 2008), Del Mar Oaks (2007, 2013), Diana Handicap (2003, 2015), Manhattan Handicap (2001, 2009, 2010), Man o' War (2009, 2010), Turf Mile (2010, 2011), and Sword Dancer (1999, 2011, 2021, 2022, 2024), which was renamed the Christophe Clement Turf.Clement began his career in the United States by winning with the first horse he saddled, Spectaculaire, on Oct. 20, 1991, at Belmont. He trained 22 horses who earned $1 million or more. Other Grade I winners trained by Clement included Discreet Marq, Far Bridge, Forbidden Apple, Gufo, Mauralanka, Relaxed Gesture, Rutherienne, Voodoo Dancer, and Winchester, among others. Clement won the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with Pizza Bianca.John A. Shirreffs (1945-2026) was a native of Leavenworth, Kan., who trained the winners of 596 races, including 113 graded events, with purse earnings of $58,581,916. Although he had a few starters as early as 1978, Shirreffs did not train full time until 1994. He won the GI Kentucky Derby in 2005 with 50-1 longshot Giacomo and later became the conditioner of one of racing's all-time greats, Hall of Fame member Zenyatta. Shirreffs trained the four-time Eclipse Award winner to 19 consecutive victories, including 13 Grade Is, from 2007 through 2010. Named Horse of the Year in 2010 and Champion Older Female each year from 2008 through 2010, Zenyatta's Grade 1 wins included the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic in 2008 and the Classic the following year. In 2009, Shirreffs also won the Ladies' Classic with Life Is Sweet, becoming the first trainer to win both Classics in the same year.At the Grade I level, Shirreffs won five editions of both the Santa Margarita Handicap (1999, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010) and Vanity Handicap (1999, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010); three runnings of the Lady's Secret (2008, 2009, 2010), Santa Anita Derby (2007, 2017, 2020) and Clement L. Hirsch (2008, 2009, 2010); and two renewals of the American Oaks (2010, 2011), Apple Blossom (2008, 2010) and Santa Maria (2000, 2003). Shirreffs trained nine horses that earned more than $1 million: Baeza, Express Train, Giacomo, Gormley, Hollywood Story, Life Is Sweet, Manistique, Tiago and Zenyatta.A bay gelding bred in Kentucky by Carlos Perez, Kona Gold (Java Gold-Double Sunrise, by Slew o' Gold) won the Eclipse Award for Champion Sprinter in 2000. That year, he set the Churchill Downs track record of 1:07.77 for six furlongs in winning the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Campaigned by Bruce Headley (who also served as his trainer), Irwin and Andrew Molasky, Michael Singh, et al, Kona Gold raced from 1998 through 2003 with a record of 14-7-2 from 30 starts and earnings of $2,293,384. He set a track record for 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita Park and won a total of 10 graded stakes. Kona Gold, who was ridden in all 14 of his victories by Hall of Fame jockey Alex Solis, won multiple editions of the GII Bing Crosby Handicap, GII Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap, and GIII El Conejo Handicap. He registered Beyer Speed Figures of 110 or higher 17 times. On 10 occasions, his Beyer Figure was 115 or higher. Kona Gold's longevity and excellence at the highest level was evident in his five consecutive appearances in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.The post Much Missed Trainers Clement And Shirreffs Head 2026 Hall Of Fame Class appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.