Columbus, OH – The second race on Tuesday (Nov. 25) at MGM Northfield Park will be a memorial race for Dr. Dan Wilson of Hudson, Ohio, who died Nov. 17, 2025. He was 76.
Dr. Wilson graduated from The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1975. He joined the Randall Veterinary Clinic, near Cleveland, and began practicing on the backstretch of Northfield Park.
He retired in 2021, the same year that he received a Special Service to Harness Racing Award from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association in recognition of his decades-long contributions to harness racing in Ohio.
The following tribute was written by Dr. Michael Latessa:
On Nov. 17, our community lost one of the best. Dr. Dan Wilson provided his veterinary services to northeast Ohio for over 40 years. He was a pillar of the Standardbred racing community during his time as a veterinarian. As a staple at Northfield Park for his entire career, Dr. Wilson provided not only exceptional veterinary services but also provided the
peace of mind to all clients that their horses are in the best care.
Dr. Wilson devoted his career to ensuring the horses he loved never went without. He
cared deeply for the animal and always knew how to help. He practiced with such grace and humbleness that you would never know how hectic his day may have been. Every case he approached with a big smile, and you would think he had ice water in his veins. He did his job for the love of it, never seeking glory for the hard work or all the lives he touched, human and horse.
Countless veterinarians have worked with Dr. Wilson, whether it was for a few weeks for an externship or years on the job – he had a tremendous impact on them all. You would learn more in a week working with Dr. Wilson than you could in a year in most large institutions. His big smile and laugh would put all of us at ease and made practicing veterinary medicine fun. He left a lasting impact on us all. I owe my career to him. Every day that I work, I try to model my methods after him.
Dr. Wilson was a tremendous veterinarian, one of a kind that we may never see again. As much as he was a great veterinarian, he was a better man. He enjoyed his family and taking his dogs hunting. His stats as a sire are remarkable, leaving us with two amazing sons, Dan and Doug, and his wonderful grandchildren. With the biggest of smiles, he took pride in showing all of us pictures of his family. He was able to retire from the job he loved and enjoy his retirement, becoming an owner with his wife, Barb. He loved watching his horses train and race.
Dr. Wilson will always be remembered for his dedication to this sport and for his love for the horse. He was my greatest mentor. I will forever miss that smile and his comforting laugh. Thank you for everything.