Here is a bit about each finalist.
Eddie Maple, who rode from 1965 to 1998, had 4,398 victories and purse earnings of $105 million during his career. He rode two Belmont Stakes winners, Crème Fraiche and Temperence Hill; was the regular rider of 1982 Horse of the Year Conquistador Cielo; and rode Secretariat in the Hall of Famer's final race, the Canadian International.
Craig Perret is still active nearly four decades after being the leading apprentice of 1967. He has ridden over 4,300 winners and has earned over $110 million in purse money. Perret won the Kentucky Derby with Unbridled and the Belmont Stakes with Bet Twice.
Alex Solis, 41, is a finalist for the first time. Through the end of 2005, he had 4,309 victories from 28,439 mounts and purse earnings of $195,433,591. He had 255 graded stakes victories. The California-based rider won the 1986 Preakness with Snow Chief and has won three Breeders' Cup races.
Mel Stute saddled his first winner in 1948 and remains active with a public stable in California. He trained two 1986 champions, Brave Raj and Snow Chief, among nearly 100 stakes winners.
John Veitch, now a state racing steward in Kentucky, developed Hall of Fame members Alydar and Davona Dale, and four champions, Davona Dale, Our Mims, Before Dawn and Sunshine Forever, during a career that began in 1974. He also trained Breeders' Cup Classic winner Proud Truth. Veitch won over 400 races.
Robert Wheeler was a trainer in California until his death in 1992. Two of his best-known stakes winners were C.V. Whitney's home-bred Silver Spoon, the co-champion 3-year-old filly of 1959, and the filly Bug Brush, winner of six stakes in 1959. Silver Spoon defeated males in the 1959 Santa Anita Derby. In 1960, Wheeler won the Santa Anita Derby with the Whitney colt Tompion.
In the final start of her career, Inside Information won 1995 Breeders' Cup Distaff by 13 lengths and completed her championship season with seven wins and one second in eight starts. She won 14 of 17 starts in her career and earned $1,641,806 in purse money.
Silverbulletday was the champion 2-year-old filly of 1998 and the champion 3-year-old filly of 1999. She won 15 of 23 career starts and compiled purse earnings of $3,093,207.
Sky Beauty won the New York Filly Triple Crown and the Alabama in 1993 and was champion older filly or mare of 1994. She completed her career for Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens with 15 victories from 21 starts and purse earnings of $1,336,000.
Best Pal, winner of 17 stakes from ages two through seven, earned more than $5.6 million. During his long career, he won most of the top races on the West Coast, including the Santa Anita Handicap, the Hollywood Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic.
Manila was the Breeders' Cup Turf winner and the male grass horse champion of 1986. The son of Lyphard won 12 of his 18 career races and earned $2,692,799. From July 1986 through Aug. 1987 he won nine consecutive races.
Silver Charm, won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness and was voted champion 3-year-old. He won the 1998 Dubai World Cup, defeating Swain by a nose. During his 24-race career he won 12 times and earned $6,944,369 in purse money.
