Longtime Churchill Downs VP/Racing Communications JOHN ASHER "died of an apparent heart attack" yesterday morning while on a "family vacation in Orlando," according to Marty McGee of the DAILY RACING FORM. Asher, who was 62, won the Eclipse Award for "audio presentation five times ['88, '89, '90, '92, '94] when working for Louisville radio stations before going to work for Churchill" in January '97. He became a "highly visible spokesman for the track, serving as moderator for numerous functions, most notably the annual post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby." He was "widely known by horsemen, colleagues, and fans as friendly and approachable" (DRF.com, 8/27). In Louisville, Tim Sullivan in a front-page piece writes under the header, "John Asher Was The Kentucky Derby's Beaming Ambassador." In 21 years with Churchill Downs, Asher "distinguished himself through encyclopedic knowledge of his sport’s grandest event and a personal style that approached perpetual sunshine" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 8/28).
A TRUE LEGEND: Louisville-based WDRB-Fox' Eric Crawford wrote Asher's role with Churchill Downs "seemed so perfect for him that it's hard to imagine it belonging to anyone else." He was one of the "greatest ambassadors in the storied history of the Kentucky Derby, and probably its most consulted historian" (WDRB.com, 8/27). In Louisville, Rachel Aretakis writes Asher was a "generous person with an infectious passion for racing" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 8/28). ESPN's Jeannine Edwards tweeted, "A kind, friendly, helpful and professional man who will be sorely missed." Horse racing announcer Larry Collmus: "Absolutely devastating news for our sport. There was no one I knew who loved this game more than @johnasher." Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer: "The world knows John Asher as the voice of thoroughbred racing and its #1 fan -- and he was the best."
