“For the past three seasons, Bob Nastanovich of Des Moines was one of the track’s most visible and active racing workers. He charted races for Equibase, meaning he was the person who estimated the distance between horses at each quarter-mile. He wrote for the Daily Racing Form, made picks for one of Prairie Meadows’ tip sheets, and worked in the racing office.

“But Nastanovich will miss this season as he returns to a previous career. He left Des Moines Sunday for a world reunion tour with the alternative rock group Pavement.”