Very sad news. Will be missed here and everywhere.

Sad to hear of his passing :( his posts were highly entertaining at times, but was a young guy who followed the sport. He'll be missed .... R.I.P.

Terrible news. He could be a handful at times, but you could never question his passion for the game and though opinionated, he was also willing to listen and learn. He will be missed and my heart breaks for his family.

Damn sad news, at a loss for words except I found his opinions interesting and this is so sad for this to happen to such a young man...I knew he had health issues but nothing this serious, Rest in Peace Joe, even though I dont know them, your family and friends are in my thoughts...

very sad news---life sucks at times

Is there a poster on the board that has a line to his loved ones? I second Andy and philscki’s sentiment of a crowd funding for his kids that are left behind w/o a father.

I’m in contact with a family friend from Schenectady. Coached Joe in Little League and grew up with his mother. He’ll keep us informed. Horribly sad day. So clear how much he meant to everyone in the unique way a community like this ‘lives’.

Thanks Steve! You’re oh so right. I’m sure you’ll keep us informed and I’m sure his family knows there’s a legion of fellow horseplayers champing at the bit to help in any way they can.

As badly as we butted heads, and it was ugly, he grew on me bigtime outside of the selections threads, as he did with most others on this board. We watched the kid grow into an helluva an identifier.

He held DougieSal in such high regard. Ditto with Andy. Clashed with Bama, Knicks, and I, but I learned to put those feelings aside as they weren’t doing anyone any good. As much as Bama and Joe traded barbs, you’d think they were mortal enemies, but Bama cared for the kid (in his own warped way). He was the one that reached out to me to let me know today, and I could tell that he was genuinely upset about his passing. Goes to show how this community you’ve started can truly rally around one another in time of need. Docicu’s death hurt. Dellinger’s loss was a punch to our gut. RHT’s untimely death hit me in a way that I didn’t see coming. Nobody deserves to check out in their 30’s. It’s just NOT RIGHT. He leaves but not without an impression on us that will live forever. My heart absolutely goes out to his family in these trying times. I think we all can answer the bell as much as we’re comfortable with to ensure his children will know how many people/complete strangers their dad has impacted.

It’s been a very sad day for me. Just a sad day for all of us I think.

Wow...just awful. Horrible day.

If nothing gets started for his wife and children maybe we can start something for them.

I'm hurting too bud. I know I'm playing tacticus/roadster box exacta for him big time.

Just terrible news.
And only 34 years old.
Really,really sad.
Rest In Peace Joe.

Absolutely! I just suggested we play a big Derby Day P6 ticket in his honor, singling a Baffert horse if possible. Nice chunk would go to his kids if it wins. If it loses, i’m sure we’ll be donating to his family either way.

My condolences to his family and friends and anyone here that knew him on a more personal level beyond his screen name.

Honestly in the last couple of years he was one of the reasons I continue to frequent "The Paddock" as he was often the initiator of discussion on major races and individual horses.

I liked that--beyond his progress in strict, objective handicapping--he was foremost a loyal fan of certain owners/stables/trainers the way someone from NY might be a die-hard Knicks fan or someone from LA lauds the Dodgers (or the way freddymo hangs on to the Phipps stable). He also kept watch for "future stars" in the maiden and conditioned allowance ranks at all times, often highlighting them on this board. These latter attributes are IMO lacking nowadays in racing, to its detriment, and if the sport could generate a significant number of fans of his sort it would be in a lot better shape than it is today.

I thought the same, too, when I first read the news. If one of us finds a channel to make a charitable donation in lieu of flowers hopefully it will be posted in order to send along the proceeds.

Condolences to all...

This is such sad news. I'm in a state of shock. I didn't know him personally but I've been reading his posts for years. He was such a character. As everyone has said, he had such a passion for racing and he had become a good handicapper. He will be sorely missed. This board will not be the same without him.

I see he has an obituary posted on Legacy.com.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/da...224&fhid=18322

Thank you for posting his obit. To put a face to his name really hits home🙏

Life comes at you fast. He was a good one for all of us.

Peace to him and family.

I'm in for a hundo , let me know the details.