LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — When Brereton Jones passed away on Monday, the state lost one of its former politicians, and the horse racing industry lost one of its leaders. Bob Babbage, however, lost even more.
"No question I lost a friend. I lost a friend in Governor Jones. I enjoyed him tremendously," the former Secretary of State shared from his office in Lexington.
Mr. Babbage, now a leading lobbyist and political analyst, said that friendship dated back to the 1980s when both were running for office.
"Having run with him in '87 and '91, at the same time in the Primary and General (elections), we became extremely good friends," Babbage said before adding that the friendship continued after both won their elections and had offices down the hall from one another in Frankfort.
"He was very accessible. Always willing to listen.," Babbage added.
In addition to fighting tooth and nail for healthcare coverage in the state, which resulted in a 1993 bill that would include coverage for pre-existing conditions, Mr. Jones was a champion for the horse racing industry.
"Governor Jones' passion for Thoroughbred racing and breeding was second to none," Breeders' Cup CEO Drew Fleming wrote in a statement. Mr. Fleming added that Governor Jones positioned the Breeders' Cup for "long-term success.”
Babbage said he'd
fondly remembered his friend's quick-witted nature and the class he and his wife, Libby, exuded from the Governor's Mansion.
"…Together they were a classy representation, a very authentic and good representation, of who we are and who we can be," he said.
