Veteran Trainer Holthus Dies at 77

Bob Holthus, whose training career spanned nearly 60 years and made him a revered figure among his Midwestern peers, died early Tuesday at his home in Louisville. He was 77.

Holthus was a dominant figure at Midwest tracks in the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, running one of the largest and most successful stables in the country. He suffered for years from heart problems and other ailments but had remained active while substantially reducing the numbers in his stable in recent years.

Asked innumerable times when he began his career, Holthus would say, "In 1952, on my 18th birthday," in his native Nebraska. He was born June 24, 1934, in Table Rock, Neb., the son and grandson of horse trainers.