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West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association / YouTube

Kenneth Lowe Jr., chairperson of the West Virginia Racing Commission, died suddenly this week.

News of his death initially was reported in The Journal of Martinsville, W.Va., and then by Thoroughbred Daily News, which confirmed the report with the West Virginia Racing Commission.

No obituary has been published, and TDN reported that Lowe was in his mid-70s.

Lowe had been a horse owner and breeder since the mid-200s, and he presided over the WVRC’s monthly meeting last Thursday, Aug. 29, according to the TDN report.

Lowe had a career in real estate and business development, according to the report, and was president of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. He was appointed as a state racing commissioner in 2017.

Lowe had several conflicts with Charles Town Races, including his opposition to a seven-figure purse for the Charles Town Classic.

Lowe also was against the idea of the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority overseeing racing in West Virginia, according to the report, and he supported a 2022 federal lawsuit led by West Virginia and Louisiana. The lawsuit remains unresolved, and an injunction bars HISA rules from being implemented in those states.