ALS takes Matlow, 66

[Kasept]

TRAINER RICHARD MATLOW DEAD AT 66 OF ALS

Long-time California based trainer Richard Matlow succumbed to the effects of Amytrophic Lateral Schlerosis (ALS) late Monday at his home in Monrovia at the age of 66. Best known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, after the Hall of Fame New York Yankee slugger who contracted the disease and retired as a result of it in 1939, ALS is a neurodegenerative disease which attacks the body’s central nervous system.

Matlow, who was diagnosed with ALS in February of 2008, and who announced his retirement because of the disease on Jan. 29, sent out his final starter on that same day at Santa Anita.

A native of Los Angeles, Matlow was born on May 28, 1942, and was a licensed trainer in California since 1968, dealing mostly with lower-level allowance horses and claiming stock. Greatly respected for his honesty and horsemanship, Matlow was regarded as an outstanding trainer who operated very successfully in a low-key manner.

His lone graded stakes win came just this past Nov. 23, when Jack o’ Lantern took the Grade III Hollywood Preview Stakes under Isaias Enriquez, returning $41.80 to win.

“He’s a great trainer, a great friend and a very, very nice person,” said Enriquez on Jan. 30. “We’ve been together for the last four years. He let me ride everything. We had good times together.”

Fellow trainer Gary Lewis knew Matlow for 30 years. “He was a top trainer who always took his time with his horses,” said Lewis. “Any time they had a little problem, he’d send them out to the ranch for as long as they needed. He was a real horseman and he always gave his horses a chance to develop.

“It’s really amazing he lasted as long as he did with his disease. It was misdiagnosed a couple of times and he really suffered. In 30 years, I never heard him complain or knock anyone. He was just a first class guy,” he added.

“We were friends for over 40 years, and I was with him Sunday night, but it’s still kind of shocking,” said fellow trainer Art Sherman.

“God taking him was a blessing,” said agent Bob Meldahl, who has been in the business for 32 years and who booked Enriquez on many of Matlow’s horses. “Richard was suffering. One thing Isaias was happy about was winning the Hollywood Prevue for Richard with Jack o’ Lantern. It was the first graded stakes Matlow ever won, and he had been in the business a long time. He was a very good trainer, and a fine man.”

Matlow is survived by his son, Andrew, 25, his mother, Florence Farell (cq), brother, Stephen, sister, Candace Farrell and his former wife, Patricia. At Matlow’s request, there will be no funeral services.