Joe Friedberg, a prominent Minneapolis defense attorney and racehorse owner, died Monday from colon cancer. He was 87.
Friedberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, was a graduate of the University of North Carolina law school, and served in the Marine Corps.
A colorful attorney with a large personality, Friedberg represented a long list of NFL players, politicians and others. He was married to his mutual best friend, Carolyn, for 62 years, and they Carolyn raised a daughter and son, both of whom married and presented their parents with grandchildren to adore. Joe and Carolyn worked together every day, and shared a rare bond of love that made them truly unique as a couple. They shared a love of horses and racing. Carolyn Friedberg once named a stakes-winning filly Blonde Moment after seemingly bidding on the wrong Affirmed filly one September Sale.
Joe loved horses and racing–and especially those involved in racing. His favorite saying was, “I bet a little every day, because I wouldn't want to be walking around lucky and not know it.”
He befriended everyone, from the shoe-shine man at the track to those with powerful stables. Some of his greatest friendships were with those who had their hands on his horses.
Joe teamed up with a young trainer from New Orleans, Richie Scherer, who also lost his fight with cancer at age 53 in 2017. Together they had a number of stakes horses, the best was homebred Shires Ende, who won both the Locust Grove and Ashland Mile at Churchill Downs. They raced at Churchill, Keeneland, Fair Grounds, Arlington, and Canterbury, Joe's hometown track.
“Joe Friedberg was one of a rare breed, brilliant attorney, devoted husband and family man, self-made (paying for his education by selling encyclopedias door-to-door), incredibly funny, with a big heart,” said Tom Thornbury. “Racing will miss the likes of him. I know I certainly will, as will everyone who ever knew him.”
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