Allison Derrah, 54, was able to watch Malek Hanover race for the second time last night at the Meadowlands Racetrack before succumbing to lung cancer Friday afternoon
, January 15.
Racing a horse at the Meadowlands had been a lifelong dream for Derrah, a dairy farmer from Gordonsville, New Brunswick, who had been hospitalized since December 22. Though Malek Hanover finished seventh in both of his starts, Derrah was delighted to watch his pacer race at the Meadowlands via computer from his hospital room.
"Myself and Allison wanted to thank everyone at the Meadowlands and everyone in the industry for recognizing him and his horse," said Malek Hanover's trainer, Bo Sowers. "We are so appreciative. He loved the story about him and the horse. Last night, he watched the horse race on the computer. Soon after, he started feeling worse. He gathered us around and told us that this was it. He wasn't responsive after that and died right around 12 noon today. He was a wonderful man, good all the way through."
(Meadowlands Racetrack)