Virginia breeder-owner Harris dies at age 90

Breeder-owner William R. Harris, 90, died Friday at his home in Mineral, Va., according to trainer Chris Grove.

Harris bred and owned multiple stakes winners Sweet Goodbye ($692,772), Five Steps ($413,746), and Deer Run ($408,530).

“He was always the biggest client in the barn,” Grove said. “In our heyday he owned 22 or 23 horses in our 50-stall barn at Bowie, so he got a lot of my attention. We talked on the phone just about every other day. I worked for him since 2000 but only saw him six or seven times. He stuck with me through the good times and bad.”

Deer Run finished second in the Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Dash in 2002.

Sweet Goodbye won eight stakes during her 23-race career with her biggest victory coming in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap in 2010 at Laurel Park.

– DRF staff