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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