Veteran racing journalist, historian Ed Bowen dies at 82

Ed Bowen, former editor of The Blood-Horse magazine and a racing historian, died Monday at his home in Versailles, Ky., at age 82.

BloodHorse reported that during Bowen's 60-pus-year career, he wrote more than 20 books on horse racing and served as president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation for 24 years.

Bowen was born in Florida and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. While attending the University of Florida, he worked at the Sun-Sentinel, on the broodmare crew at Ocala Stud and as a hot walker and groom at Monmouth Park, according to the report. He began writing for BloodHorse in 1963 and transferred to the University of Kentucky, where he studied journalism.

After a stint as editor of Canadian Horse from 1968 to 1970, he became managing editor of The Blood-Horse and then editor in chief in 1987. He was transferred to senior editor in 1992 and left The Blood-Horse in 1993, according to the report. The next year, he was hired as president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

Bowen was a trustee of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and was chair of the Hall of Fame nominating committee since 1987. He currently chaired the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor selection committee and historic review Committee and served previously on the Pillars of the Turf Committee and Steeplechase Review Committee, according to the report.

"Ed's passing is a huge loss in so many ways. His encyclopedic knowledge of the history and traditions of the sport was unequaled—and often served as a resource for many of us who needed to be guided by the past," Jim Gagliano, president and chief operating officer for The Jockey Club, told BloodHorse.