Washington Hall of Fame has 20 nominees for 2012 class

The horse Handy n Bold, trainer Howard Belvoir and jockey Basil Frazier are among the 20 nominees to the Washington Racing Hall of Fame.

There are four nominees in each of the five categories: Male horse, female horse, jockey, trainer, breeder. One inductee from each category will be announced June 14, and the 2012 induction ceremony will be held Aug. 18 following the races at Emerald Downs.

Handy N Bold is the first horse to make the ballot based mainly on a body of work at Emerald Downs. A British Columbia-bred trained by Charles Essex and owned by Doris Orr, Handy N Bold won 10 stakes at Emerald Downs including a record four runnings of the Governor's Handicap.

In the trainers' category, two-time winning Longacres Mile-winning conditioner Belvoir and Bob McMeans both make their first appearance on the ballot. Bob McMeans could join his brother in the Hall of Fame; the late Bill McMeans was inducted in 2010.

Frazier won over 2,000 races while riding mainly at Longacres and Exhibition Park and captured the 1974 Longacres Mile on Times Rush.

The inductees are chosen by a 16-member committee composed of media, track officials, and members of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

2012 Washington Racing Hall of Fame finalists:

Male horse: Handy N Bold, Hilco Scamper, Sirde, Travel Orb Horse
Female horse: Bix's Bet, Flag de Lune, Rings a Chime, Whang Bang
Jockey: Gary Boulanger, Basil Frazier, Paul Frey, Merlin Volzke
Trainer: Howard Belvoir, Wayne Branch, Ben Harris, Bob McMeans
Breeder: John Carlson, Maurice McGrath, George Newell, Penney Farms