Sixty-three-year-old Jack Koth, Jr. of Howell and Oradell, New Jersey, a longtime trainer, driver and owner, passed away on Tuesday, October 6, 2009

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Visiting will be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 at the William G. Basralian Funeral Home, 559 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell. Religious services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, October 9 at the funeral home with interment following at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.

A Marine Corps veteran, Koth most recently worked for trainer Tom Fanning and previously for trainer Kevin McDermott.

“He had many friends, and we are all saddened by this terrible news,” said Karen Fagliarone, the director of racing at Freehold Raceway. “He had a heart of gold. He's one of those guys that nobody could ever say a bad thing about.”

“He was loved by both the horses and the people he worked with,” said Fanning. “He will be missed.”

He was the son of Irene Koth and the late Jack B. Koth, Sr.; brother of Linda Soffel and her husband Lee; uncle of Kris, Scott and Lee Soffel, and Kellie Odlum and her husband Ron; and great-uncle of Jack and Mikey Odlum.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Jack Koth, Jr.

(SBOANJ)