Noted harness racing analyst Dave Brower dies at 53

Dave Brower, who spent most of his career as a harness-racing handicapper and television host at the Meadowlands, died Friday at age 53, the track confirmed. 

“Dave Brower’s level of expertise and professionalism was unmatched in the sport of harness racing, and all of us at the Meadowlands were in complete shock when we heard of his passing,” said Jason Settlemoir, the Meadowlands chief operating officer and general manager. “While we grieve his passing, we also want to send our condolences to his family and many, many industry friends.”

Brower was in Lexington, Ky., this week to prepare for a television appearance and watch standardbred races Friday at The Red Mile racetrack, according to a colleague of his who was at nearby Keeneland. Brower posted Tweets from The Red Mile as late as Thursday.

“I’ve been an avid harness-racing fan since age 10,” Brower told the U.S. Trotting Association in 2013. “I supposed I’ve worked in just about every aspect of the sport.”

Brower grew up in Passaic, N.J., six miles from his professional home for most of the past quarter century. In 1991 he graduated from St. John’s University, where he was got a journalism degree and served as sports editor for St. John’s Today.

Before he was a broadcaster at The Big M, Brower was a groom, a trainer’s assistant, a teletimer operator and a public-relations intern, according to the USTA.

In 2017, Brower returned to writing the morning line and program handicaps for standardbred races at the Meadowlands. His first go-round in that role lasted from 1996 to 2011.

Working from his home in New Jersey, Brower also spent the past nine years as a handicapper, broadcaster and social-media contributor for Cal Expo harness racing in Sacramento.

Brower also was seen hosting CBS Sports television coverage of the Hambletonian and Little Brown Jug from 2012 to 2015. His TV work also was seen regularly on TVG and New York cable channels MSG and SNY. Brower also was a frequent contributor to racing shows on Sirius/XM satellite radio.

The 2009 book Harnessing Winners was written by Brower and published by Daily Racing Form.

Brower’s résumé also included 11 years of consulting work for insurance and health-care agencies in Lyndhurst, N.J.