from the USTA Communications Department

Columbus, OH — John P. Cleary Jr., 72, of Pompano Beach, Fla., died April 27, 2010.

Born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., Mr. Cleary graduated from the University of Buffalo as a business major but his love for horses kept him close to the racetrack at all times.

He will be remembered mostly by the front running V.G.F., who Mr. Cleary drove to many wire-to-wire victories at Batavia Downs during the 1970s. Lady Scamp, Cock N Bull and Rick Mazor would be some of the other memorable horses who were driven by Mr. Cleary and trained by his lifemate of 42 years, Wally Mazur, who died in 2006.

Mr. Cleary took a venture on the professional side of racing also. Starting in the late 1960s through the 1980s, he worked mostly as a program director, but was also was a proofreader, associate judge and assistant race secretary. His work history included stops at Scarbourgh Downs, Atlantic City Raceway, Liberty Bell, Freehold Raceway, Batavia Downs, the Syracuse Fair, the Meadowlands and Pompano Park.

As he aged, his jobs changed, but he was never far from the horses as he worked for almost seven years for Quality Feed in Pompano Beach and his latest job was in customer service at The Isle Pompano Park.

During that time you may have spotted Mr. Cleary in the paddock at night or jogging horses in the morning at Pompano or at the nearby training centers.