Stan Bowker had seen just about every aspect of Thoroughbred racing. From his starting point in Omaha, Neb., at Ak-Sar-Ben, he ended his career as a racing commissioner and a respected steward. Bowker died Sept. 10 in Clearwater, Fla., after a long illness. He was 81.
Bowker worked for 17 1/2 years at Ak-Sar-Ben, wearing numerous hats balancing five departments before becoming the director of racing. He was an integral part of the development of Canterbury Downs (now Canterbury Park) from working on early design. In 1984 he became vice president and general manager of this new track in a fresh market, Minnesota.
Creating Stan Bowker and Associates in 1987, he established a consulting company to assist new tracks in new markets in their efforts to obtain a license and construct and open a racing facility. The first client was Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. He worked with the architect and construction manager and became the track's first vice president and general manager.
Bowker's start-up expertise saw him work with Will Rogers Downs, an established Oklahoma track that had been closed for several years. When the current management team bought Canterbury after it had sat idle for nearly 18 months, he was brought back as president and general manager to re-open the track. Bowker was eventually asked to set up the operation of a new racetrack under construction halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg, Va.—Colonial Downs.
Moving from the management of racetracks to the regulation of racing, he started as the senior steward for the Virginia Racing Commission. Within his first year, its executive director retired and he was asked to become both the executive director and senior steward. During those years, he also served on several committees for the Association of Racing Commissioners International. In 2006 he was awarded the Len Foote Award for outstanding service as an executive director of a racing commission.
Bowker was also a member of the group that established the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, the organization that accredits stewards and judges in racing. He served as chairman for the first seven years. He also has taught at 10 continuing education and three full schools, working under Bob Lawrence, Rich Wilke, Tim Capps, Terri Burch, and Wendy Davis. He had served for 11 years as a steward at Oaklawn Park and Indiana Grand and retired from the industry when he hung up his binoculars for the last time as a steward at Canterbury in 2021.
Late in 2018, he, along with David Hooper, the late Herbert Clark, and the late Donald Le Vine, were recipients of the Pete Pedersen Award, which is presented to stewards who have demonstrated professional excellence, integrity, and benevolent consideration in the performance of their duties.
"Racing has lost one of its all-time great contributors, but I and the many others who knew him have lost an all-time great teacher, mentor, champion, and friend," said his son, Todd, who has worked in the industry for decades. "He loved helping people, and if you asked him what he was most proud of, he would tell you he loved seeing the people he worked with succeed."
Bowker is survived by Judy Bowker, his wife of 62 years, who like Todd resides in Clearwater, and his brother Clayton Bowker of Omaha. No services are planned. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (pdjf.org/donate), whose work he strongly supported.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
