Santos rode Funny Cide to Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories last year but fell short of the Triple Crown after losing at Belmont.

The two captured the imagination of racing fans nationwide when the New York-bred, at 12-1, held off favored Empire Maker by 1½ lengths in the Kentucky Derby and won the Preakness by 9½ lengths.

They took aim at the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978 but Funny Cide finished third in the Belmont.

In his career, Santos has won 3,735 races and earned more than $155 million.

Zito has guided Kentucky Derby winners Strike the Gold and Go for Gin, and Preakness winner Louis Quatorze.

He has won 1,271 races that have earned nearly $60 million. Zito had champion 3-year-old filly and Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town last year and also trained Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Storm Song.

Since Zito captured the Kentucky Derby for the second time in 1994, he is 0-for-9. This year, he is pointing the Marylou Whitney-owned Birdstone toward the Derby.

The nominees will be voted on by 140 members of the racing media, with an announcement set for May 25 and induction Aug. 9.

Also nominated were:

• Shug McGaughey, who trained unbeaten Personal Ensign and Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer, and 1998 Horse of the Year Skip Away. McGaughey has won 1,363 races, 237 graded stakes and eight Breeders' Cups. His horses have earned more than $82 million.

• Skip Away, Horse of the Year at age 5, a champion 3-year-old and champion older male during his career. He won 18 of 38 races, including a Breeders' Cup Classic, and earned more than $9 million.

• John Veitch, trainer of Alydar. The Veitch-trained Calumet runner was the main rival of Affirmed in 1978, running second to him in all three Triple Crown races. Veitch, who also trained Eclipse Award winners Davona Dale, Sunshine Forever, Our Mims and Before Dawn, won the Breeders' Cup Classic with Proud Truth.

• Jockey Kent Desormeaux. An Eclipse Award winner as both an apprentice and established jockey, Desormeaux had won 4,395 races and almost $170 million through 2003.

• Jockey Eddie Maple. This is the second nomination for Maple, who won the Belmont Stakes on Temperence Hill and Creme Fraiche, and rode Secretariat to victory in his final race in 1973. He has a career record of 4,398 wins and earnings of more than $105 million.

• Jockey Randy Romero, who won Breeders' Cup races on Personal Ensign, Go for Wand and Sacahuista, was also nominated last year. He won 4,285 races and earned more than $75 million.

• Male horses Lure and Manila, and female horses Flawlessly, Mom's Command and Sky Beauty.