David Goldman

Obituary of David GoldmanA memorial service celebrating the life of David I. Goldman will be held at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. on Sunday, May 3, at 12:00 noon. David Goldman died on April 23, 2009, in Ocala, Florida, after a long battle with cancer. He was 76. He was born Dec. 26, 1932, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, son to Rose and Bob and brother to Sam. He attended Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA and then returned to the Boston area to attend prestigious Brandeis University. Dave was accepted to Harvard Law School, but was then drafted, serving in the Navy from 1955-57. His hobby and greatest passion was thoroughbred racing, his father having been one of the country's original turf writers. His love of racing, together with his unique gift for writing and extraordinary vocabulary and communication skills, eventually led him to a life-long career devoted to the thoroughbred industry. Dave began his career in Massachusetts, and was a regular at all the New England tracks, including those long gone - Narragansett Park, Lincoln Downs, Scarborough Downs and the county fairs - Brockton, Northampton and Great Barrington. He soon left for Ocala, when he saw Florida emerging in national prominence in the thoroughbred industry. Before leaving for Ocala, in 1961 Dave married Susanne Ronai, mother to his sons, Robert, 46, and Peter, 44. In a career that would ultimately have him writing for virtually every prestigious racing publication, domestically and abroad, he first landed in Ocala in 1962, becoming the business manager for the world-renowned Farnsworth Farms. He then moved to South Florida where he became a marketing executive, at various times, for each of the thoroughbred racetracks: Hialeah Park, Gulfstream Park, Tropical Park and Calder Race Course and later, Florida Downs near Tampa. In 1976, he returned to Ocala to become marketing director for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company (OBS), and later formed Florida Thoroughbred Advertising, an advertising and marketing agency. In that position, he has been responsible for all the TV advertising of OBS. Dave's major claim to fame as a breeder was Caltech, winner of the 1989 Budweiser (Washington) D. C. International (Gr. I) and an earner of more than $700,000. He then reached his crowning journalistic achievement (in a multi-part series for Daily Racing Form), "The Sunshine Boys," which chronicled the colorful and rich history of racing in Florida. Dave was very much a part of that history. Dave's in-depth knowledge of racing pedigrees and the world-wide thoroughbred industry was unmatched. In 1983, Dave married for the second time - to Catherine Bloomfield Goldman - a world-class equine artist. Dave then discovered another joy - becoming the proud grandfather of Julia (11) and Emma (9). Although he will be sorely missed by the entire racing industry and anyone who had the privilege of knowing him, Dave leaves behind a "stable" rich with friends and family, who loved and adored him more than words can express.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in his name to the Florida Thoroughbred Retirement Home in Ocala, and checks on its behalf be made to Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Inc. Arrangements by ROBERTS FUNERAL HOMES, Bruce Chapel East 2739 SE Maricamp Rd. Ocala 732-9944.

David Goldman

December 26, 1932 - April 23, 2009