Longtime Thoroughbred horse racing handicapper and columnist Dave Litfin died Nov. 17 at Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., after battling cancer, according to his wife Robin. He was 64.
Litfin served as New York handicapper for Daily Racing Form for 25 years from 1991-2016. He later moved to South Florida where he became a chartcaller for Equibase, and penned a popular weekly handicapping column for BloodHorse called Litfin at Large. He also did freelance work for Thoro-Graph and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
During his time at Daily Racing Form, Litfin authored two books: "Expert Handicapping: Winning Insights into Betting Thoroughbreds" and "Real-Life Handicapping: An Eclectic Horseplayer's Year at the Track," and contributed to several others.
"He was well respected. He was self-made," said Robin, who was married to Litfin for nearly 40 years. "When I met him, he was just a kid growing up on the streets of Manhattan who loved racing. And I said to him, 'You know what, if you love it that much, you need to be paid to do it.' He drove out to (one of Daily Racing Form's offices in) Hightstown, New Jersey, got a job as a calltaker (in the 1980s), and the rest is history."
Friends and colleagues praised Litfin in social media posts Thursday, with Daily Racing Form New York correspondent David Grening calling him "a truly good man and terrific friend."
"Dave was so much more than a superb racing handicapper," journalist Richard Rosenblatt wrote on Facebook. "Dave was a blessing to all of us who knew him. Always a smile, always supportive of his wife Robin, two daughters and his recently married son, and new daughter-in-law."
The Manhattan-born Litfin is survived by Robin, daughters Addy and Marne; son, Sam; and daughter-in-law Maggie.
Although frail from his fight against cancer, Litfin was able to attend Sam and Maggie's wedding last month at Saratoga National Golf Club.
"It was a big goal, being there," Robin said.
Before a reoccurrence of his cancer, Litfin lived eight years cancer-free after recovering from the disease following initial treatment, his wife said.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Liftin's name to Old Friends, a retirement farm for Thoroughbreds with divisions in Kentucky and New York.
A celebration of Litfin's life is intended at a later date, likely next year, after a more immediate private luncheon for his family takes place, probably after Thanksgiving, Robin said.
She called Litfin a "wonderful father" and "my best friend."
"People should know that my husband was very blessed," she added. "He worked at a job that he loved. A lot of people can't say they were happy going to work every day, but my husband could. He loved what he did; he loved this game. It was a gift for him. It was a gift for us. It created a beautiful life of places and experiences that he was able to provide for me, and for that I will be forever grateful."
