Racing journalist Jack Will dead at 78

Jack Will, a respected longtime turf writer and publicist, died Oct. 2 in South Florida due to complications from a stroke he suffered in September. He was 78.

Will served in many capacities during his career in racing, serving full-time and free-lance stints at various publications, including Daily Racing Form and The Racing Times. He also worked in the public relations departments of the three racetracks in South Florida – Gulfstream Park, Calder Racecourse, and Hialeah Park. Will also worked in publicity at Pimlico Racecourse.

An esteemed expert on pedigree and racing history, Will was highly regarded by his peers and horsemen alike.

"Jack was popular and respected by his press-box colleagues as both a journalist and a publicist," said Steven Crist, the former editor and publisher of Daily Racing Form and editor-in-chief at The Racing Times.

“He was very talented at what he did,” said trainer Shug McGaughey. “He was knowledgeable about a lot of things, and he was one of the good guys. The game will miss him.”

Will served as the captain of the Breeders’ Cup notes team from 1988-90 and from 1992-2015, marshalling a squad of seasoned journalists to deliver high-caliber reporting of racing’s championship event.

“Jack was an invaluable resource to media on the backstretch in the early mornings and was extremely helpful in explaining the ins and outs of the game, said Jim Gluckson, head of media relations for Breeders’ Cup Ltd. “Jack went about his business in a quiet and understated manner and was a great asset in managing the Breeders’ Cup notes team for many years.”