Veteran New York sportswriter Vic Ziegel, who died July 23 at the age of 72, will be honored with a race in his name on Friday, Aug. 27, at Saratoga. The race is named the Vic Ziegel Memorial.
Ziegel, who twice received Red Smith writing awards for his Kentucky Derby (gr. I) coverage, wrote for the New York Post and The Daily News. He was a regular in the press boxes at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga for much of the past half century.
Despite his failing health, Ziegel still made it to the press box for this year’s Belmont Stakes (gr. I). His sharp humor was on full display, as he wrote, “Drosselmeyer’s winning time was 2:31.57. Secretariat, who won his Belmont in 2:24, would have beaten him by, oh, 40 lengths. Drosselmeyer must never be told.”
Ziegal’s wife, Roberta; their daughter Katy; and Ziegel’s sister Shelly, will present the winning trophy.
