Photo:

Frank Opiola / Midwest Thoroughbreds / Facebook

Rich Papiese, co-owner of Midwest Thoroughbreds, died Wednesday after a battle with multiple system atrophy, a rare degenerative condition of the nervous system. He was 65 years old.

Papiese’s death was announced in a Facebook post from his son-in-law Frank Opiola and shared to the Midwest Thoroughbreds page as well. His death previously was reported by Paulick Report.

Papiese made his mark in business as the co-owner of Midwest Custom Case, a store fixture producer based in Monee, Ill. Papiese and his wife Karen started Midwest Thoroughbreds in 2003. Starting in 2009, Midwest Thoroughbreds became one of the leading owners in the country. They ranked second by wins in 2009 and led the nation in wins every year from 2010 through 2015. They were also in the top 10 by earnings every year from 2010 through 2016.

Including starts with partnerships Midwest Thoroughbreds amassed a record of 10,648: 2,710-1,846-1,485 and over $52 million in earnings.

Midwest Thoroughbreds originally made its name winning races in claiming company, though they had a pair of Illinois homebreds who amassed top-level wins. Work All Week upset the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2014 en route to an Eclipse Award for the year’s champion sprinter. Midwest Thoroughbreds also bred The Pizza Man, who became the only Illinois-bred winner of the Arlington Million (G1) when he won it in 2015. He won again at the top level in the 2016 Northern Dancer Turf (G1) at Woodbine.

Visitation is scheduled for Thursday from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. EST at Elmwood Funeral Chapel in St. John, Indiana. The funeral mass happens next Friday at 11 a.m. EST at St. John the Evangelist Churchil in St. John, Ind. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Old Friends, New Vocations, or local fire, ambulance or police departments.