Jeff Siegel, a popular racehorse handicapper for years in Southern California News Group papers, has died at age 74 following a battle with cancer.

His death Saturday morning was first reported by Eric Sondheimer, the Los Angeles Times sportswriter who was Siegel’s friend and a partner in horse ownership.

“Respected by all,” Sondheimer said of Siegel in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Siegel parlayed his skill at assessing horses into winning major races as an owner and founder with Barry Irwin of Clover Racing Stable and Team Valor, most famously scoring upsets in the 1989 Santa Anita Handicap with Martial Law (at 50-1 odds) and 1989 Breeders’ Cup Turf with Prized (6-1).

Growing up in Los Angeles and attending Fairfax High, L.A. Valley College, Cal State Northridge and San Jose State,

See Full Page