Harness: Dave Brower dies at 53

Dave Brower, the longtime lead TV host, morning-line oddsmaker and program analyst at the Meadowlands, passed away unexpectedly Thursday night while away on assignment at The Red Mile. He was 53.

Brower, who recently completed a week-long stint doing TV at the Delaware (Ohio) Fairgrounds for the Little Brown Jug, was preparing for a huge weekend of racing at Lexington but was found unresponsive in his hotel room after no one had heard from him Friday morning.

"Dave Brower's level of expertise and professionalism was unmatched in the sport of harness racing, and all of us at the Meadowlands were in complete shock when we heard of his passing," said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. "While we grieve his passing, we also want to send our condolences to his family and many, many industry friends."

In addition to multiple TV credentials, Brower was a published author, penning "Harnessing Winners" in 2009. A native of Passaic, New Jersey, Brower also did many national TV broadcasts, which included this year's Hambletonian, seen on the CBS Sports Network.

"Sitting next to Dave Brower for the last five years has been the greatest pleasure of my entire career," said Dave Little, Brower's TV partner since 2017. "He and I got to be friends in the mid-1990s when I was in my first go-round in the Big M's TV department. We have spent so much time together over the years and know just about everything there is to know about the other. I cannot imagine going on camera in a few weeks and not having him beside me."

--press release (Meadowlands)--