Dan Boddie, 70, passes

Pompano Beach, FL…January 17, 2024…Longtime harness racing owner Dan Boddie, 70, passed away on January 15, 2024, from cardiac arrest.

Boddie, along with his wife, Jacalyn, enjoyed a quarter-century association as breeders and owners with their success highlighted with the horses Abreathoffreshart (p,5,1:51.1f,  $132,331) and No Bad Dreams (p,5,1:50.0f, $140,209.)

Trainer Jim McDonald reflected on Boddie’s passing saying, “Dan’s priority was the care and well-being of his horses.

“Yes, he enjoyed being in the winner’s circle, but he was unselfish when it came to their care.

“When I first met him, he said, ‘I just want you to look after my horses and take care of them. If they race, well, that’s wonderful, but, if they don’t seem to be at their best, then heal them for me. They are our children.’”

But as serious as he was about the health of his horses, he had a keen and wonderful sense of humor, demonstrated in a conversation when he lamented, “you know, I became a millionaire owning standardbred horses…of course, before that, I was a ‘MULTI-MILLIONAIRE!”

He, along with his wife of 35 years, Jacalyn, loved the competition and just being in the stands enjoying watching their horses race and were not dampened one bit when one of their earliest horses, Take A Deep Breath, won all of $30 on the track.

As Jacalyn said, “We never lost hope and our faith paid off when she became the dam of Abreathofreshart,” a 21-time winner, several in Open company.

Services for Dan Boddie will be held at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 624 MIccosukee, Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 with further information available by calling 1-850-222-1321.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, 42 Arneytown-Hornerstown Rd., Cream. Ridge, New Jersey 08514 (1-609-738-3255).

by John Berry, for Harnesslink