Handicapper Chuck Badone Dies of Cancer

Chuck Badone, who was Lone Star Park's first morning line oddsdmaker and fan education manager until he retired in 2001, died Thursday in Phoenix of cancer.

Badone, who held two Masters degrees in education, left a Northeast teaching and coaching job behind for a career in what became his true passion - the horseracing industry. For more than 40 years, he served as a handicapper and conducted seminars for Turf Paradise, Monmouth Park, and Lone Star Park, where he also worked on the publicity staffs.

He also spent time as a handicapper for Daily Racing Form, taught college level classes on the art of handicapping, and authored the popular 1977 book "Winning Horseracing Handicapping: Secrets of a Successful Horseracing Handicapper," which was reissued in 1999.

Until April 11, Badone's race-by-race Lone Star Park selections had appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram every raceday since the Texas racetrack opened in 1997.

Born Oct. 8, 1936, Badone is survived by his longtime girlfriend Shelly Norris, daughters Brenda and Brooke, and four grandchildren.

On Monday, there will be an 11 a.m. memorial service at St. Thomas More Parrish at 6180 W. Utopia Road in Glendale, Ariz., followed by a reception at Turf Paradise at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that a donation be made to the American Cancer Society and/or Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix.