Obituary: Burkhardt Served as Delaware Park Steward

Longtime Delaware Park steward Fritz Burkhardt passed away in Wilmington, Del., Sept. 22. He was 85.

With the exception of a brief stint serving as a racing official for the Emirates Racing Authority in Abu Dhabi in the mid-1990s, the Baltimore native served as a steward at Delaware Park for the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission from 1987-2019.  

Burkhardt also worked in varied and numerous positions within in the industry including managing Abacus Ranch in Snowmass, Colo., for Broadway producer Mary K. Frank. He was an assistant to trainer Roger Cornell, a steward at Rillito Downs, a trainer, a jockey agent, and as a young man worked as a houndsman at the Howard County Hunt Club.

"He really was an amazing man and he lived a fascinating life," said John Mooney, the executive director of racing at Delaware Park. "He was very devoted to animals, particularly horses. He had a very thorough understanding of the racehorse and appreciated all the individuals who worked with racehorses. He was a great friend, companion, and mentor to so many people in the sport. The Delaware Park family and the racing industry have lost one of our champions. He will be missed."