Mike Mayo passes
 

Mike Mayo told friends and the horseplaying community during the summer that an aggressive cancer gave him a short time left to live and the the illness claimed the 59 year old Thursday. As with Ron Rippey's recent death, the game losses a stalwart and advocate of great note with Mayo's passing. Mayo was a major force in the growth of the NHC and tourney play in general, as well as an intellectual, insightful voice for those that play the races seriously and want to see the game succeed. Big loss.

Pete Fornetale obit: http://www.drf.com/news/mayo-chairma...mittee-dies-59

NTRA press release obit: http://www.ntra.com/en/news-media/pr...ayo-1954-2014/

Awful news. I always looked forward to seeing Mike at the big contests. He was a great guy. He sought me out after I got DQ'ed in a contest at Keeneland a couple of years ago and had a lot of kind words.

Horseplayers have lost a great comrade and representative in Mike Mayo.