by Gerry Connors, for the PA Harness Racing Commission

Plains Township PA — Clarence Van Rose II, 68, a well-known harness racing reporter who was based at Pocono Downs but followed the sport extensively, died recently after a brief illness.

A native of Lexington, Ky., and a graduate of the University of Kentucky, Mr. Rose served in Vietnam, worked in journalism in Ohio, then came to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader in 1982.

He worked on several beats, but was devoted to and won his greatest fame as the paper’s reporter of the action at nearby Pocono Downs. In his columns he came across as an unabashed fan, and frequently wrote from that perspective to try to improve the lot of the public at racetracks. He also handicapped the races at Pocono in the newspaper for many years, and even was a harness horse owner for a short time.

He is survived by his companion, Jan Ritinski; along with a cat who changed names frequently and finally settled on Herman.

Mr. Rose was interred at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pa., a military outpost not far from Harrisburg.

At Thursday’s “season preview” press conference at Pocono (which opens next Tuesday), it was announced that on Kentucky Derby Day, May 5, the son of the Bluegrass would be honored with the $50,000 Van Rose Memorial, an Invitational pace.