– David Belknap, a placing judge at Pinnacle Race Course and former Thoroughbred trainer, died Wednesday at his farm near Pinckney, Michigan. The Daily Racing Form reports he was found in the paddock after apparently being kicked by one of his horses. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
– The 2010 meet at Mount Pleasant Meadows has been shortened by a week. The final day of racing at the central Michigan mixed breed track is now scheduled to be Aug. 1.
– The Detroit News wrote a feature about Pinnacle Race Course on Thursday outlining the challenges the New Boston track has faced this year. Topics discussed in the article include the severe cut in race dates following racing’s transfer to the Michigan Gaming Control Board, the rising cost of regulation, and the possibility of Thoroughbred racing returning to Hazel Park for the first time since 1984.
– Mount Pleasant Meadows is holding a contest on its Facebook page, with the winner receiving a set of goggles signed by the track’s jockey colony. To enter, become a “Fan” of Mount Pleasant Meadows on Facebook, then this Monday between 6-6:30 p.m., a prompt will go up on the page’s wall asking who won the seventh race on the preceding day’s card. The first person to answer correctly wins the prize.
The Michigan-Bred Claimer 
Thank you LongShotBlues for venting your anger, and rightfully so! I’m emailing your comment to my state rep and senator!
In Sympathy: Pinnacle Management and Staff would like to express our sincere condolences to the family of David Belknap who passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and co-workers.
Visitation: Sunday: 1:00PM-6:00PM
Visitation: Monday: 11:00 AM – NOON
There will be a service at 12 Noon at the Funeral Home
Keehn Funeral Home
706 West Main
Brighton, Michigan
810-229-9876
BWT,
It’s good to see people who care about racing contacting their representatives. We need more people who do. Thank you for taking action.
Longshot,
Thanks for posting the arrangements. I’m sure a lot of people will be interested to see that so they can pay their respects.
I learned a long time ago Joe, if you don’t fight for yourself nobody else is going to.
I’m just still in shock over Dave. Such a sweet guy. I lived at the funeral home from 2001-2003 and beyond, with Dad and whole side of his family dying and friends. I just can’t bring myself to go to another one right now. I have a image of Dave I want to always remember and keep with that smile on his face. I don’t want to take one with me from a place I still cannot seem to fathom him being there.
That old saying of only the good die young, really does fit here. He will be so missed.
I couldn’t post it here Joe because of how WordPress is set up. It’s on mine, save it to your computer and post it here. I’d like a better picture of him, not from his death notice. I’m hoping somebody from the HBPA can provide me with one. So I can post it.
2010-07-25
BELKNAP, DAVID MICHAEL
Age 54, of Pinckney passed away on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at his home. He was born August 31, 1955 in Detroit the son of Donald and Carol (Fetter) Belknap. On March 19, 1982, he was married to Rose Ann Costa moving to Pinckney in 1991. David loved thoroughbred horse racing and golfing. David is preceded in death by his mother Carol. Surviving is his wife, Rose; father, Donald; sisters, Beverly (Dennis) Dargo, Connie Cheney, and Lori (Brian) Komorek; and many other extended family members. Visitation Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m. and the Funeral Service Monday, 12 noon, both at Keehn Funeral Home, Brighton 810-229-9871. Memorial contributions in his name are suggested to the family.
Regarding the Detroit News article, that guy from the gaming control board is a real genius… his statement that fewer race days will deplete the Equine fund and lead to even fewer days just makes me want to say”duh”. Talk about stating the obvious. It sure does not appear that they care at all about what happens to the industry in Michigan. Everybody loses.