Award-Winning Turf Writer Farley Dies

Dan Farley, an award-winning Turf writer and former president of the National Turf Writers Association, died May 1, in a Mechanicsville, Va., hospital. He was 72.

Farley, a native of Princeton, Ind., and a graduate of Indiana State University, started his career with Blood-Horse in 1971 and then served as a staff writer, managing editor and editor of The Thoroughbred Record. He covered American racing for Pacemaker International for three years in the early 1980s and then worked for the International Racing Bureau.

He served as president of the National Turf Writers Association from 1982 to 1986 and he became the American correspondent for the Racing Post when it began publication in 1986. Farley received the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in Turf writing from the NTWA in 2009.

He retired in 2013, although he still contributed blogs and columns to the Racing Post.

Farley was an avid racing fan who covered hundreds of Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup World Championship races as well as numerous other major stakes in this country and abroad, many of them while confined to a wheelchair as a result of muscular dystrophy.

Farley was the proud owner of a large collection of racing memorabilia including programs, posters, and racing publications and was a regular fixture in the Keeneland press box each racing day.

"This was his favorite time of year, and he was really excited about this year's Kentucky Derby," Betsy, his wife of 49 years, said May 1.

The Farleys moved from their long-time home in Lexington, to Ashland, Va., a year ago to be closer to their two daughters, Alison and Carrie. Farley is survived by his wife, daughters; and grandson Noah.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the FSH Society (Fascioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy), 450 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA, 02420 or through www.fshsociety.org.