Very Sad News...

[storminnorman]

Very saddened to hear this news on his forum. Was interfacing with him in August when I was looking for a new PC just for Valuecapper. I've been following Michael since the early 2000s when I started playing. Had a small gentleman's horse farm and got divorced. If I couldn't own horses, I'll start playing them! The first book I purchased on handicapping was Handicapping Magic. After the first seminar, we hit a nice longshot, and I purchased the software right then and there! Attended all of his seminars. Met many many great people. A true gentleman. If you were speaking with Michael, he treated you as if you were the only person in the room! Him being a Yankee fan and me being a Red Sox fan led to some easygoing banter. Michael had a significant impact on my love for horse racing! Thank you Michael! Thankful for this forum. In the end, we are a community of memories ...... RIP my friend.

[excalibur]

Shocking news...just doesn't seem real !
Like most Wizards, I never had the pleasure of meeting Michael, but it just doesn't really feel that way. He took the time to be a friend to all of us.
I can' t say any more than has already been expressed except that I will miss him. Such a devastating loss.
Thank you Craig for your post.

My most sincere condolences to his family, wife Kim, mother Rose and brother Anthony.

Domenic

[billofpoquoson]

Very sad news, My heart goes out to his family. Only meet Michael by emails but he was always approachable, supportive as though I had known hm for a long time. He will be sorely missed by us all.

Bill

[mikeb]

Very sad news indeed,
Totally shocked.....
My sincere condolences to Michael's family.
Michael you will be missed!!!!
R..i.P.
mikeb

[fpolk]

Oh my. This is a tough one. I’ve known Michael for about 30 years, starting at the Sartin/PIRCO seminars.

When he left that group he came out with The Master Handicapper, still the best computer program in handicapping (but no longer available), and I ordered it immediately even though it seemed like a fortune at the time. I started going to his seminars and got to know him enough to realize he was a brilliant guy, a great teacher and one heck of an entertainer, speaker, handicapper, etc.

In retrospect I spent an incredible amount of time listening to his videos and attending seminars – and thinking about what he said (handicapping, ValueCapping and that other stuff) – all to my great benefit even though it was ostensibly about horse race handicapping. And yes, I admit, I liked the woo-woo stuff.

So many people say they never met him but you really did. His videos were like a friend sitting down and talking with you about the ValueCapping thought of the month. The warmth, intelligence, wit, charm and intensity that you experienced on the videos – the personality and the person - were all genuine. So if you knew him through his videos then you certainly knew the man.

I could fill up pages and pages of my thoughts and memories, but I’ll let that go for now(?). People have posted beautiful, meaningful and thoughtful tributes and I simply echo what has been said. His passing is a loss to his family, the handicapping community and this wonderful ValueCapping community; and it’s a painful, thought-provoking loss for me.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael and his family (including all of us).

All the best, Frank

[veech2203]

I'm crushed by this news Everything I'm feeling I've reads in other posts Rest in Peace my Friend "only the good die young"

[Thor]

I do not recall how in 2015 I found Michael and Blam, but I can tell you that I subscribe to the belief that in life, there are no coincidences.

When I think of Michael I think of the following:

Gentleman
Pillar of civility
Believer of Woo Woo
Builder of a community

Look at the lives he touched, he cared about us (his community), he talked to us about life/handicapping and I am grateful to have been a part of his creation.

My prayers go out to his family.

Regards,

Roger

[Gerard03]

My friend told me this morning of Mike's passing. I got VC just over a year ago and have been a member of the forum for a few months. He always answered my emails when i had questions. enjoyed his videos. I've learned a lot and will miss his education. A big loss to horse racing. my condolences.

[zorrozr]

I met Michael many years ago and knew he was a great person and you could tell by his videos that he was a kind and loving person he will be missed dearly,God rest his soul and prayers to his family.

John Argenziano

[Polish Pony]

Having grown up with Michael in a small town in NY,he has always been a friend and brother. We went our separate ways and reunited in Oklahoma City in 1996 at a Sartin Seminar.
I moved to Vegas 3 years ago and spent my Saturday mornings with him at the book
We would finish our mornings having a cigar and solving the worlds problems. He loved his KIm and his dogs.
I will forever miss him

Polish