Rick Lang has passed away

[Casino]

http://www.drf.com/news/rick-lang-well-known-handicapper-dies

62 years of age way too early.

RIP.

[Dave Schwartz]

I hate it when "one of us" passes. There just aren't that many left.

My condolences to his family and all that knew him.


Dave Schwartz

[The Hawk]

Awful news. A really great guy who deserved better from the game, and in life.

[nijinski]

Sad news . My condolences to his family and friends .

[johnhannibalsmith]

One of my favorites to watch do his show before the races at Saratoga.

I remember him waxing poetic one morning about a horse in the last named Ham Sandwich. Something about how you had to play Ham Sandwich because the short priced favorite in the race would probably win but he would pay like a Ham Sandwich. Gotta use him with Ham Sandwich if you don't want to end up with nothing but a Ham Sandwich.

I rarely pay a lot of attention to public handicappers' selections but after a horrendous eight races, the one thing I remembered was Ham Sandwich. Ham Sandwich dug in and rallied late for second and somewhere in the third or fourth spot Appleturnover Mike rolled in. In a rarety for me at that time, I cashed a rather nice superfecta among exactas and a trifecta and ended the day ahead.

[Linny]

Rick was a great guy and will be missed. He is someone about whom an unkind word was rarely said. I passsed many pleasant times with Rick on the Saratoga backstretch during the AM Saratoga days.

RIP Rick

[johnhenry81]

RIP Rick,
I remember his selections burning up the Saratoga track one summer. Did'nt he also write a book on sprint to route angles.

JH

[pandy]

He died way too young. I didn't know Rick that well but he was a very good handicapper and I enjoyed reading his analysis in the N.Y. Post, which at the time had excellent racing coverage, the best of any daily newspaper in N.Y.

I remember when I worked on Wall St. in the early 70's, I would pick up the afternoon edition, which I think cost nickel or a dime, in Penn. Station, something to read for the train ride home. The Post had two editions, the regular paper, then around 4 in the afternoon an afternoon edition would hit the stands and it would actually have the results for the first half of the card at Aqueduct, plus the entries for the next day and complete sports coverage from the late sports games from the day before. It truly was a great sports section.

Some harness players may recall the excellent harness racing coverage. The Post had a guy named Henry Hecht, who covered baseball and harness racing. He wrote analysis for Roosevelt/Yonkers, then the next day had a column "Checking up on Hecht" where he broke down every one of his picks and races from the night before, pointing out when one of the drivers made a mistake, etc. It was brilliant and Hecht had a sarcastic and funny sense of humor.

RIP Rick

[Tom]

You bring back fond memories, Pandy.
My day was not complete without my POST racing coverage.
RIP Rick!