Bill Ziemba passed away

[mick]

https://kearneyfs.com/obituaries/william-thomas-ziemba

He was a friend of the Pace and Cap family and often joined us at Saratoga. Extraordinary individual.

[Ted Craven]

Wow Mick, I didn't know yet. We had corresponded only a month ago when he was planning to head to Keenland for Breeders' Cup. Was hoping to catch up with him on my next trip to Vancouver. He seemed indestructible, despite various mobility issues. We all met several times in Saratoga and I stayed at his home in Vancouver and in Whistler a few years ago.

A true contributor to the mathematics of betting and analysis not only in horse racing but in economics and finance, who influenced people like Benter in his time and other more obscure whale syndicates. Condolences to his wife and daughter.

Breeders' Cup Del Mar 2017

Ted

[gandalf380]

Terrible news. We had been in regular contact and were planning to meet at Saratoga in August.

[Lt1]

Had the pleasure of meeting him a few times at Sar. He was kind enough to take Mick and I to the stable area to see one of his horses. RIP Bill and condolences to his family.
Tim

[darmar]

So sad to read of another friend of our racing community has passed. I enjoyed reading his
books and hearing stories of his wagering exploits. I'm sure Doc will make room at the table for Bill to join our other members in the clubhouse at Heavenly Downs.
RIP Bill and God bless your surviving family members.
Darryl

[Mitch44]

Met Bill at Saratoga and sat at his table on Sunday the last day. He was big on the P-6, Mick and Zimba had a live P6 ticket going into the last race. Few are unaware that he was hired to figure all the lottery odds which led to that becoming a norm.

Condolences to his family and rest in peace Bill. Learn more about Bill Zimba at the link below.

https://wilmott.com/william-t-ziemba-1941-2022/

Mitch44

[mick]

After Dr. Z invited me and Lt. Tim to Thomas Morley's barn that evening in Saratoga to see his new filly, Bill and I began to correspond on a regular basis. He invited me to his horse farm in Lexington several times where we played the races from his living room. I also helped with several of his articles. He was always writing something. He had invited me to stay with him at his place in Saratoga next month. Unfortunately, that won't happen now.

One of the many things I admired about him was that he put his money where his mouth was, so to speak. There are some so-called "experts" who write a book and you later find out they're $20 bettors, which Mitch and I have talked about. I can assure you that Dr. Z was no $20 bettor. This table is from an article he was writing about the Triple Crown races. He would bet more on a race than I usually bet in a week. He was the real deal.

[Ted Craven]

Here's how we met Bill Ziemba.

It was 2017 at the annual Saratoga Meetup. Mum and I had just driven down from Ontario to Saratoga, then continued onwards to Albany for dinner with Mick and Charlie (and maybe others, but memory fades).

We were sitting in the Desmond Hotel (site of all the old Sartin Seminars), the restaurant, catching up when in shuffles this older gentleman limping on 2 walking poles with a backpack of papers, sits down near us and orders a very expensive bottle of red wine. He hears us talking about Doc Sartin and after a while mentions he once attended a Sartin Saratoga seminar back in the day, actually was invited to make a presentation.

Really, we say - that's quite a coincidence. What's your name? He says: Bill Ziemba. Except for Mum, we all go - 'Dr Z??!' 'Who's Dr Z asks Mum?' We explain briefly then invite Bill over to our table for stories and food (he brings his bottle of wine). Then he joined us for the rest of the weekend, hitching a ride with Mick up to Saratoga.

That's how we all became friends . Friendships maintained as described above, over subsequent years in several different parts of the horse racing (and skiing) world and online.

Never underestimate who might walk into a bar ...

Ted


(Dinner 2018, Saratoga, from left: Charlie B, Bill Z, Tim G, Mick, Barb/Mum, me, Missy B)



For Rachel and Sandra - these were a few of Bill's many friends.

[mick]

And that is exactly the way it happened. Thank you for posting, Ted.

[Lt1]

Yep you hit it right on the head Ted. I remember sitting opposite your mom talking with her when Dr Z introduced himself.
Tim