A great loss to the horse racing world and a great loss to the literary world.
Clever and keen with the words, clever and keen with the wit!
Who was running Sunday night? It would seem fitting he had a bet down at some bush track when the Grim Reaper came suddenly. Any bad steward decisions about that time? It could have been a BS DQ that brought him down--that would give him material for his first column above!
This is horrible. I too exchanged emails with him over the years. I enjoyed his writing as well. Let It Ride is a movie I still watch all the time, esp before a big weekend.
I am deeply saddened to hear of Jay's demise. What a terrific guy. I was upset when ESPN cut him from his horse racing writing contributions a year or two ago. I truly enjoyed his humor and his creative writing skills. I looked forward to his seeing what he came up with next. At least twenty or more times he and I would swap e-mails....always in reference to odd things that occurred at the track and simulcast outlets. He loved characters with an amazing eye for observation. I am afraid I wasn't aware of his health issue....his passing is a shock. Rest in peace my old friend....you are 8/5 in getting in to the pearly gates...
Did anyone subscribe to his website? He left the Tulsa World last year and started his own site. I loved it. He updated it everyday. I will miss his writings bigtime. His Espn column was the best one articles in horse racing section.
I second many of the comments above. I wish I had sent him an email or two too just tell him how much I enjoyed his stories about the OTB's he visited in Oklahoma. Or was it Nebraska?
Anyway, the man was one special horseplayer!
RIP, Jay.
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One flew east, one flew west,
One flew over the cuckoo's nest.
