by Sam Pendolino, publicity director, Buffalo Raceway

Hamburg, NY — The sport of horse racing across Western New York and Southern Ontario lost one of its most dedicated voices Saturday night (Sept. 4) with the unexpected passing of Buffalo News sports reporter and columnist Bob Summers.

Acknowledged primarily for his “Happy Handicapper” newspaper columns, Summers was a staunch advocate of the racing industry, providing information, opinions and insights that were cherished by the sport’s competitors and fans alike.

Known by friends and colleagues for his dry wit and charming sense of cynicism, along with the ability to always make those in his company laugh, Summers primarily covered harness racing at Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs and thoroughbred racing at Fort Erie, Woodbine and Finger Lakes.

He was a longtime member of the Western New York Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association.

“For Bob, horse racing wasn’t a job, it was a passion,” stated former horse trainer and current owner Bob Salzman, who was also a colleague of Summers at the Buffalo News. “He was the kind of guy who was such a fan of the sport that he would go out to the racetrack on his nights off just because he enjoyed the people and the atmosphere.

“He was a fellow railbird who gave other fans an inside look at the horses and the people who compete in the sport.

”Ironically, the last time I saw him was at an off-track betting parlor two weeks ago. He was telling me about a recent trip to Saratoga and asking if I was there scouting horses to claim.”

Summers, who posted daily selections in the paper for much of his career, was also a fixture at the big national racing events, including the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders’ Cup. He continually poked fun at himself for his inability to pick winners in the Derby.

It seemed as if he was always at the drawing board, trying to devise some betting strategy that would result in a higher return on investment, kind of like a trackside scientist in his laboratory.

In an era when casinos have taken away much of the gambling spotlight, and pushed racetracks into the background, Summers continued to fight hard for the sport, striving to provide all the coverage he could.

The racing community has lost a friend, one who did his best to make it stronger. Tragically, for those who knew him and the sport he loved, the finish line came too soon.