Bob Holthus, whose training career
spanned nearly 60 years and made him a revered figure among his
Midwestern peers, died early Tuesday at his home in Louisville. He was
77.
Holthus was a dominant figure at
Midwest tracks in the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, running one of the largest
and most successful stables in the country. He suffered for years from
heart problems and other ailments but had remained active while
substantially reducing the numbers in his stable in recent years.
Asked innumerable times when he began
his career, Holthus would say, "In 1952, on my 18th birthday," in his
native Nebraska. He was born June 24, 1934, in Table Rock, Neb., the son
and grandson of horse trainers.
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