Bill Tallon retires from Daily Racing Form

Bill Tallon, the popular head of the Canadian office of Daily Racing Form in Toronto, retired Friday after a 35-year career with the newspaper.

Tallon began going to the track with his father in 1965. He witnessed and wagered on countless major races, including Secretariat’s final start in the 1973 Canadian International Championship. He also attended many recent Breeders’ Cups, not as a journalist but as a fan.

After attending the University of Toronto and Carleton University, and post graduate studies at York University, he graduated with a master’s degree in English in 1979.

In his role at the Racing Form, Tallon covered racing at Woodbine and other Canadian tracks, oversaw the work of the other staff writers in Canada, wrote several columns weekly on news he gleaned from the backstretch at Woodbine, and covered major races. Tallon started as a handicapper for Daily Racing Form before moving into his writing and managerial positions.

Tallon is a member of the Jockey Club of Canada, is on that organization’s Sovereign Awards committee, and is a representative on the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame’s nominations and selections committees.

Tallon won the Sovereign Award in the outstanding feature writing category in 1995.