Saratoga's Racing Hall of Fame goes digital in multimillion-dollar restoration

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lately, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame has been running as a long shot.

It had a few handicaps: Its hall of fame outgrew its room. Some of the brass nameplates, 459 in all, were also outdated with many of the inducted honorees continuing their careers and racking up new achievements.

Making matter worse, said John Hendrickson, president of the museum board, visitation crashed.

“To be frank, a lot of people in the racing business thought we were irrelevant,” Hendrickson said. “They wanted to move it to Kentucky.”

The late Marylou Whitney, the city’s beloved philanthropist and thoroughbred horse breeder, asked Hendrickson, her husband, to do something to revive the museum. It was important to her, Hendrickson said, because it is in the city she adored and devoted to a sport she loved. Also, her late husband CV “Sonny” Whitney helped to establish the museum.

Thus, she and Hendrickson decided to donate $1 million to revive its sleepy hall and galleries. Hendrickson spearheaded the ongoing effort to update the museum so that racing fans would feel compelled to walk its halls again.

“If the Baseball Hall of Fame can make it, we can make it too,” Hendrickson said. “We are a destination but there was no reason for people to go back to the museum after they went once.”

Hendrickson said visitors now have a reason to return – a revamped virtual Hall of Fame. The room, now wide open except for benches, has nine interactive kiosks built into the walls. Touch screens allow visitors to digitally explore all the accomplishments of trainers, jockeys, owners and pillars of the turf.  Inductee bios update within hours of a major event, and the kiosks include videos of interviews and races – for example Affirmed’s by the nose win at the Belmont Stakes in 1978.

But Hendrickson said the real draw is the literal centerpiece in the hall, a 16-minute film. Every two hours, a quad of screens descend into the center of the room to show “What it Takes: Journey to the Hall of Fame.” Narrated by Bob Costas, the film is an immersive experience, transporting viewers through the life of a horse from stable to the winner’s circle with the people who get them there – owners, trainers and jockeys. Of course, Saratoga Race Course, which is just across the street, plays a major role in the film.

“We are so proud of this signature film,” museum director Cate Masterson said. “Our goal is to bring out the excitement and emotion, and to educate. You don’t need to know anything about horse racing. It’s about the love of the equine sport.”

Hendrickson said he is pleased with the hall, designed by Donna Lawrence Productions. The award-winning producer has led many museum projects, including at the Statue of Liberty Museum, the National Constitution Center, the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum, the National World War I Museum and the Kentucky Derby Museum.

“She turned the Kentucky Derby Museum around,” Hendrickson said. “I told her what I want was (the Derby Museum) times 10. We have to be the top sports hall of fame in the country. That was our goal. I think we met it. Once someone has seen it, they will come back and tell people about it. It’s that good. I’ve seen it 21 times now and each time I get choked up. It’s so engaging.”

Masterson said the museum closed in January 2020 for the restoration of the hall. The pandemic slowed some of the progress, but it worked out well as the museum was able to reopen on 2020 Derby Day, which was Sept. 5.

It’s not over yet. Masterson said that the museum will continue to raise funds toward its $20 million goal for restoration and education efforts. Thus far, she said the museum has raised $13 million. In addition to the hall of fame, donations went toward building maintenance like updated heating and air conditioning and roof repairs. Some of the funds will go toward upkeep of the kiosks and an endowment. Since the start, Hendrickson has donated another $400,000 toward the effort.

As for all those old brass plaques, they will be kept together. The museum is currently seeking a permanent home.

“We want them to be dignified and kept together,” Hendrickson said. “We didn’t want them auctioned off and be stuck in a Hooter’s restaurant.”

But mainly, Hendrickson said he wanted to honor his wife by reviving the museum.

“Saratoga is so involved in horses, we couldn’t lose the Hall of Fame,” Hendrickson said. “When I showed Marylou what we were doing, she said ‘Thank God the energy is back in the museum.’ She would be very pleased.”