John Dooley

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com "Cody's Wish was definitely one of my racing highlights of 2023." --Susan Anderson, Trainer "There was no shortage of amazing horse racing memories in 2023. But one story that transcends racing is the incredible journey Cody's Wish and Cody Dorman (and his family) took us on. Beyond inspiring and heartwarming, it showed us in vivid color the genuine beauty of the magical connection between horses and...

Dangerous air quality conditions caused by wildfires in Canada have forced the cancellation of the live racing programs at Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago and at Horseshoe Indianapolis further to the south and east. "Based on the poor air quality in Indiana today's races have been canceled," a tweet from the track read. "This decision was made mutually with our horsemen based on the safety of the participants in our racing program coming first. A decision on bringing today's races back will be made shortly." Track announcer John Dooley...

John G. Dooley, a fixture in the announcer's box at numerous Midwest tracks, has been tabbed to replace Bill Downes as the voice of racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis Race Course, the former Indiana Grand Racecourse. Eric Halstrom, the vice president and general manger of the track, revealed the news in a tweet Friday afternoon. A native of Staten Island, New York, Dooley graduated from St. John's University on Long Island and served as an intern at the Meadowlands and at the New York Racing Association before accepting his first announcer's...

Marshall Cassidy, the announcer at the New York tracks from 1979 through 1990, passed away Sunday at his home in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was 75. According to friends of Cassidy, he died in his sleep. The cause of death was not immediately known. Cassidy began his announcing career as the backup caller to Dave Johnson and then Chic Anderson. After Anderson passed away in 1979, Cassidy was promoted to the job of head announcer. In 1990, after the Saratoga meet concluded, he was replaced by Tom Durkin. Over his...