From Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 21, 2022) — Whether spearheading fund-raisers to help injured backstretch workers or working tirelessly for Thoroughbred aftercare, trainer Howard Zucker was there for people and horses in the Thoroughbred industry. For Zucker, “How’s it going?” wasn’t a mere conversation starter—he really wanted to know.
Zucker, 74, died Oct. 20 at Keck Hospital of USC in Los Angeles after undergoing open heart surgery several days earlier. Clocker’s Corner at Santa Anita has seemed bereft without Zucker standing in his usual corner at the top of the steps under the Clocker’s Corner sign.
A trainer on the Southern California circuit since 1983, Zucker saddled 246 winners for total purse earnings of nearly $9.5 million. His best runner was Crafty C. T. Owned by C. T. Grether, Crafty C. T. won the 2001 San Rafael Stakes (G2) and earned $832,652. He placed in seven stakes, including the 2002 NAPA Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), 2001 Santa Anita Derby (G1), and 2002 Metropolitan Handicap (G1).
Other stakes winners Zucker trained included 1993 champion California-bred 2-year-old female Moscow Changes, 2003 Desert Stormer Handicap (G3) winner Madame Pietra , and 2009 Honeymoon Handicap (G2T) winner Well Monied . In 2008, Zucker won both divisions of the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar with Queen Ofthe Catsle and California-bred Synnin and Grinnin . Queen Ofthe Castle also won the 2008 Senator Ken Maddy Handicap (G3T).
Zucker obtained a B.A. from the City College of New York, majoring in finance with a minor in biology. He began grooming horses at New York and New Jersey tracks and took out his first trainer’s license at Garden State Park in 1973. A decade later he moved to Southern California.
A hands-on trainer, Zucker also was very involved in aftercare. At the time of his death, he was the treasurer of CARMA, and he is a former president of that organization dedicated to providing funding for the rehabilitation, retraining, and retirement of California-raced Thoroughbred racehorses. Zucker once served on the track safety committee of California Thoroughbred Trainers as well as on the CTT board, and he actively helped organizations such as the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation and the Winners Foundation.
“He attended every event and always stepped up,” said Jenine Sahadi, president of the Gregson Foundation. “He was a huge help to the Gregson Foundation.”
Zucker described himself as a “barn trainer” who spent a lot of time on the backstretch with his horses.
“I’ve always tried to make the most of each horse by working really hard on them and really taking care of the details with them as far as their mental and physical health,” he once said.
To that end, Zucker consistently volunteered to host barn tours for the Thoroughbred Owners of California.
“He touched so many lives on the backstretch and was always involved,” said Mary Forney, retired TOC executive director. “He really cared about the horses and people. Everybody loved talking to him. He was involved with aftercare, and all of his horses were so well taken care of.”
Zucker’s survivors include his wife, Lorraine, and a sister, Joan Axelrod.
Friends have established a Go Fund Me memorial page for Zucker.