Dave Litfin, Former Handicapper for the Form, Dies at 64

Dave Litfin, the widely respected former handicapper for the Daily Racing Form, died Thursday night in Saratoga Springs after a long battle with cancer. He was 64.

The news was announced by his wife of 39 years, Robin, on her Facebook page.

Litfin was a call-taker with the Form and joined the New York Racing Association's publicity staff as the press box manager in 1984. He went to work for the DRF in 1990 where he wrote the “Handicapper's Corner” column. He was the author of two books, “Dave Litfin's Expert Handicapping” and “Real-Life Handicapping” and contributed chapters to “Champions” and both volumes of “Bet With the Best.” He most recently worked for Equibase and wrote handicapping columns for the Blood-Horse.

His friend John Scheinman wrote on Facebook, “I and my racing friends and racing as a whole have lost the nicest of guys, David Litfin. As the New York handicapper for years at the Daily Racing Form, you could argue that for a long time he was the most important public handicapper in the country–maybe just behind Beyer–because he was on the top beat for the top publication. You would be crazy to bet New York without seeing who he liked. I always considered Dave's press box presence as one of diligent work but also bemusement. He saw the humor in the whole insane parade of horse racing, it's characters, including up in that room and yet thankfully never seemed to be a lightning rod for any friction. He was gentle, intelligent, caring, inquisitive and fun.”

Litfin is survived by his wife; two daughters, Addy and Marne; a son, Sam, and a daughter-in-law, Maggie. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Liftin's name to Old Friends, which has equine retirement facilities in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Lexington, Ky.

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Beyer: ‘Almost Any Serious Horseplayer’ Can Recognize Performances Which ‘Defy Handicapping Logic’

Horseplayer and turfwriter Andrew Beyer, creator of the revolutionary “Beyer” speed figures and 40-year industry veteran, spoke to the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary this week to share his views on the biggest challenge facing horse racing today.

“The biggest challenge facing the sport today is the same one that I wrote about for much of my newspaper career: the widespread use of illegal drugs,” Beyer said. “Almost any serious horseplayer can look at the form of certain trainers' horses and recognize that their performances defy handicapping logic. The cheating trainers and vets have made cynics out of the horseplayers, who should love this game without reservation.”

For more about Beyer, check out John Scheinman's Eclipse Award-winning feature from 2016: Andrew Beyer: Rebel With A Cause.

Beyer himself won an Eclipse Award of Merit in 2017.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

The post Beyer: ‘Almost Any Serious Horseplayer’ Can Recognize Performances Which ‘Defy Handicapping Logic’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Empty Spaces: Filling The COVID Void At The Kentucky Derby

When Churchill Downs finally made the wrenching decision to run the 2020 Kentucky Derby without fans, the year in horse racing already had taken numerous historic turns due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

In the aftermath of the race came the stunning and terrible realization that Churchill Downs could have been filled to capacity and still not held all those who have died in the United States from the virus. From a well of sadness a simple idea emerged – to show what was lost while honoring the spirit of America's greatest horse race.

With this video, writer John Scheinman and photojournalists Alex Evers, John Voorhees and Scott Serio teamed up to juxtapose the Kentucky Derby normally bursting with life and the stark emptiness of this year's race.

It is part lament for what has been lost, part deeply felt reflection and also a token of remembrance for future fans to look back on how, this year, everything changed – the year the Kentucky Derby was not run on the traditional first Saturday in May, but, rather, the first Saturday in September.

Watch the video below:

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