Larry Ward dies

[LVGaryD]

Larry Ward, a longtime harness horse trainer/driver in the 1970s at Northfield Park has passed away. Larry died Sunday at 69 years of age, after battling cancer. He worked in recent years as the paddock judge at Rosecroft Raceway.

More info when it becomes available.

Our deepest sympathy to his daughter Vonda.

 

[pope of vegas]

Maybe I'm wrong,But I seem to remember him racing at Balmoral in the 70's..

  R.I.P. 

[badolpuddytat]

He drove for my friend! RIP Larry

[LVGaryD]

Maybe I'm wrong,But I seem to remember him racing at Balmoral in the 70's..

  R.I.P. 

He did. I was there the same time. We all went out to Balmoral when Northfield closed in 1976. 

[The Giss]

So against the "archetype" of a driver -- 6'3" or so, as  recall.His dad was a hell of a horseman,, too. RIP.

[beans and weenies]

RIP Mr Ward.  Condolences to his family.

[MyDarlinOne]

Here is the Service schedule for Larry:

Services for Larry Ward will be held:

Friday, November 15, 2013 at Lee Funeral Home - 6633 Old Alexandria Ferry Rd, Clinton, MD 20735

The viewing will be held from 2:00-3:00p.m. and the service will follow.


Now I am trying to collect some information concerning his racing career and and I am coming up with bits and pieces, can someone help me fill in the blanks better?   

[LVGaryD]

Thank you very much, MyDarlinOne! 

If anyone can help MyDarlinOne with any good information or stories about Larry, please contact her or me.

I have a lot of great stories I could share, but most of them will have to wait until I see Larry again and we can rehash them together.

[The Skipper]

RIP Larry 

[The Giss]

Thank you very much, MyDarlinOne! 

If anyone can help MyDarlinOne with any good information or stories about Larry, please contact her or me.

I have a lot of great stories I could share, but most of them will have to wait until I see Larry again and we can rehash them together.

890 career driving wins.  Last drive was in '96, last win in '89 (he was 3 of 10). Had a horse in the late 70s called Chockyotte Tonto (sp?) who just crushed the $3s and everyone was afraod to claim. Back in the day, Nfld wrote a 10-15 claiming handicap and Larry had a horse called EDU who was very solid. When his dad (Howard) shipped in, his mare Well Arion fit that class and EDU was forced to race in the 20s against some pig called Majestic Creed. After a couple weeks, the mare woule either drip to 8 or move to the 20s for a week and EDU got back in the right class. Puddy and others may remember the rest of what we called "the coffee klatsch," because they always hung oujt together, but took turns winning. We chose to believe that it was because they were so competitive. Fosdick, CB Duane, something Ernie Kauffman had, etc.

[LVGaryD]

Majestic Creed was not a bad horse. His owner refused to do the right thing with him as a two year-old….geld him.

He could pace the first 1/8 of a mile faster than any horse at Northfield back then. His biggest problem was Donnie Irvine. The horse did not like a whip at all. Once Gary Wilcox pointed this out, he became a much better horse. He would very likely have been a great horse had he been gelded though.