John Asher, the longtime face of Churchill Downs, dies at age 62

Jason Frakes | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Horse racing industry remembers John Asher after death John Asher was remembered by the many people who knew him through Churchill Downs. Here's what people are saying

This article was originally published Aug. 27,2018.

John Asher, who became the face of Churchill Downs in his role as vice president of racing communications, died the morning of Aug. 27, 2018, of an apparent heart attack. Asher was 62.

Asher and his wife were vacationing in Orlando, Florida, when he said he wasn't feeling well. Tim Asher, John's brother, said they called an ambulance but he died on the way to the hospital.

Many described Asher as an ambassador for both Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. He had a unique voice that served him well throughout his radio and communications career.

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“To say that racing has lost one of its giants with the passing of John Asher does not begin to capture the impact this man has had and will continue to have on the Churchill Downs family,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs.

Asher had a "genuine and infectious" passion for his family, horse racing, great music, and his alma mater, Western Kentucky University, Flanery said.

“Racing has lost an icon," Flanery said. "I, and many others, have lost a kind and generous friend. We will miss John’s laugh, his unmistakable voice and his unique storytelling.”

Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, called Asher “a friend and mentor to many of us.”

“Over the past 20 years, no single person was more closely associated with the Kentucky Derby than John Asher,” Waldrop said. “His knowledge of the Derby and his passion for its history and significance made him a popular speaker in Louisville, across the state of Kentucky and beyond.”

Asher was an award-winning journalist and publicist for more than 30 years. He joined Churchill Downs in January 1997 and served as vice president of racing communications since March 1999.

As a radio journalist at WHAS-AM and WAVE-AM in Louisville, Asher earned five Eclipse Awards for "outstanding national radio coverage of thoroughbred racing.” Other horse industry honors include the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners’ Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year award in 2006, and the Charles W. Engelhard Award for excellence in media coverage from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders.

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Tim Asher said he and his brother became enamored with the Kentucky Derby at a young age. Tim said John — while a student at Western Kentucky University — would drive to Louisville to purchase copies of the Louisville Times to read its Derby coverage.

“There was a time he was flying around the country looking for another radio station to work at, and he could never find one big enough that was close to a racetrack,” Tim Asher said. “When he went to Churchill Downs, I’m not sure they even knew what his position would be. He really defined that position, and as communications changed over the years it became something very important. At Derby time, I don’t think he ever turned down an opportunity to speak.”

A native of Leitchfield, Kentucky, Asher earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from WKU. In 2004, he was recognized by the School of Journalism and Broadcasting as the public relations practitioner of the year.

Asher was well-known for his community-service outreach and volunteerism. In 2004, he was recognized as volunteer of the year by the local chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, where he served on the board.

Several members of the horse racing and Louisville communities shared their thoughts about Asher on Monday via social media.

“John Asher was the only person I knew that loved Louisville, Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby more than me,” trainer Norm Casse wrote on Twitter. “He was Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, and they will never be the same.”

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted that he was “heartbroken.”

“The world knows John Asher as the voice of thoroughbred racing and its No. 1 fan — and he was the best,” Fischer wrote. “I also know him as a strong community leader fighting for those who have little. I will so miss his presence at Churchill Downs and the streets and boardrooms of Louisville, where his total humanity shone like a brilliant first Saturday in May. Rest in peace, brother.”

He is survived by his wife, Dee, and three daughters, Heather, Erin and Emma.

Plans for a memorial service will be finalized in the coming days, Dee Asher said.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/jasonf.