Marshall Cassidy (July 10, 1945 – February 7, 2021) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racing official based in

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...

, and a former

public address A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...

announcer and sportscaster. Cassidy had also served as a patrol and placing judge for the

New York Racing Association The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest Thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park ...

, and as an alternate steward. Cassidy was best known for the 18 years he spent as one of the race callers for NYRA, at

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

and

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actua ...

. He worked as backup track announcer to Dave Johnson and Chic Anderson. Cassidy became lead announcer after the death of Anderson in March 1979. Cassidy was the most prominent announcer in racing in the early to mid-1980s, not only for his on-track work but also as a sportscaster calling races for WCBS radio,

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television,

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television,

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television and

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television. He was best known for his accuracy, precise diction and upbeat delivery, especially early in his career when calling a close race as the horses ran down the stretch. Cassidy remained the lead race caller for NYRA until 1990, when he was replaced by track announcer Tom Durkin. Cassidy called the fourth race at Saratoga Race Course on September 1, 2008. Cassidy died at his home in Saratoga Springs on February 7, 2021 at age 75.

Personal

Cassidy was part of a well-known family of racing officials. His maternal grandfather, Marshall Whiting Cassidy, was a race starter and later steward who eventually became racing director for NYRA's predecessor agencies, and later executive director of

The Jockey Club The Jockey Club is the breed registry for Thoroughbred horses in the United States and Canada. It is dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing and fulfills that mandate by serving many segments of the industry through its s ...

. His maternal great-grandfather, Marshall (Mars) Cassidy, was also a fixture in New York racing as a race starter and the first to use a barrier to start a race. George Cassidy, his grand-uncle, was a race starter for some five decades (mostly at the NYRA tracks) until he retired late December 1980.

References

1945 births 2021 deaths American horse racing announcers Buckley Country Day School alumni New York Racing Association executives Public address announcers Place of birth missing {{US-horseracing-bio-stub