The Thoroughbred racing community is mourning the death of Laurence “Larry” Roth, a prominent entrepreneur, philanthropist and co-founder of LNJ Foxwoods who died at the age of 75 following a battle with cancer.
Roth passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that stretched from international business and philanthropy to some of the most memorable moments in modern Thoroughbred racing.
Together with his wife, Nanci, and daughter, Jaime, Roth built LNJ Foxwoods into a respected racing and breeding operation with Grade 1 winners, champions and a Kentucky Derby winner among its accomplishments.
Who Was Larry Roth?
Laurence “Larry” Roth was a businessman, Thoroughbred owner and breeder with longstanding ties to Great Neck, Long Island, New York.
His professional achievements began well before his family entered horse racing.
In 1983, Roth co-founded Marchon Eyewear with Al Berg and his brother-in-law, Jeff White.
The Melville, New York-based company went on to become a major international eyewear business, producing licensed products for brands including Nike, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Coach and Michael Kors.
Roth most recently served as Marchon’s co-president and oversaw sales throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Larry Roth’s Career With Marchon Eyewear
Marchon Eyewear became one of Roth’s most significant entrepreneurial achievements.
According to Thoroughbred Daily News, the business was launched with approximately $2 million in startup capital.
Roth and his partners eventually built Marchon into a global eyewear company before selling it to Vision Service Plan in 2008 for a reported $735 million.
That success later gave Roth an opportunity to pursue new family ventures, including the Thoroughbred racing operation that would become LNJ Foxwoods.
The Beginning of LNJ Foxwoods
Roth entered horse racing largely through his daughter Jaime’s growing passion for the sport.
Jaime became interested in racing after following champion mare Rachel Alexandra and later planned a visit to Del Mar.
Larry arranged for someone to show her around the racetrack’s backstretch, an introduction that eventually connected the family with bloodstock agents Alex Solis II and Jason Litt.
Within days, the Roth family had purchased its first horses.
The family officially began building LNJ Foxwoods in 2012.
The name LNJ came from the initials of Larry, Nanci and Jaime, while Foxwoods was the name of the street where the Roth family lived in Great Neck.
LNJ Foxwoods Becomes a Major Racing Operation
The Roth family focused on purchasing well-bred fillies that could race successfully before eventually joining their broodmare band.
The strategy produced results quickly.
LNJ Foxwoods earned its first major graded stakes success in 2015 when Nickname won the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes.
The following year, Constellation won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes.
Over time, the operation became associated with numerous high-level racehorses and an increasingly successful breeding program.
Covfefe Becomes One of LNJ Foxwoods’ Greatest Stars
One of the most important horses in the Roth family’s racing story was Covfefe.
In 2019, Covfefe won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and later received Eclipse Awards as both champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter.
She became the first 3-year-old filly to receive both honors in the same year.
Covfefe’s success established LNJ Foxwoods among the leading ownership and breeding operations in American racing.
In a poignant coincidence, Covfefe’s daughter Foxiest won at Churchill Downs on the same day Roth died.
Connection to Kentucky Derby Winner Country House
LNJ Foxwoods also shared ownership in Country House, who became the official winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference.
The victory placed the Roth family among Kentucky Derby-winning owners and became another major milestone in the stable’s history.
Other prominent horses associated with LNJ Foxwoods included United, Olympiad, Lighthouse and several notable homebred or co-bred runners.
Larry Roth’s Love for Saratoga and International Racing
Roth had a particular affection for Saratoga Springs and racing in France.
He regularly looked forward to trips to Deauville, where the family raced horses and participated in major yearling sales.
His business interests in Saratoga also extended beyond racing.
Around 2013, Roth and partners purchased the historic Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs and undertook an extensive restoration.
The property reopened in 2017.
Roth later partnered with Michael Dubb to acquire the neighboring Rip Van Dam Hotel, and an expanded version of the combined property reopened in 2025.
Philanthropy and Horse Welfare
Roth’s legacy also included significant charitable work.
In 2016, the Roth family established the Horses First Fund through Thoroughbred Charities of America.
The initiative initially helped dozens of abandoned horses in Mercer County, Kentucky, and later provided emergency assistance to Thoroughbreds affected by natural disasters.
The fund supported horses in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and horses impacted by destructive California wildfires.
BloodHorse-related reporting says the fund has assisted more than 1,000 horses over the years.
Support for Charitable Causes Beyond Racing
Larry and Nanci Roth also supported numerous organizations outside the Thoroughbred industry.
Their charitable efforts included support for North Shore University Hospital, Mid-Island Y JCC, United Jewish Appeal, North Shore Child Guidance and the Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch.
The couple were honored in 2018 by Long Island’s Hospice Care Network for their philanthropy.
Larry Roth Cause of Death
Larry Roth died following a battle with cancer.
Thoroughbred Daily News explicitly reported that Roth had been battling cancer before his death on September 27, 2026.
No more specific form of cancer was identified in the reporting reviewed.
For that reason, it would be inaccurate to speculate about the exact diagnosis or medical circumstances beyond the confirmed cancer battle.
Family Mourns Larry Roth
Roth is survived by his wife, Nanci, daughter Jaime, sons David and Scott, and grandchildren Liv and Poppy.
Jaime Roth paid tribute to her father while reflecting on the relationships he formed through horse racing and the lasting impact the sport had on their family.
LNJ Foxwoods also shared an emotional message following his death, noting how deeply his absence would be felt at races, winner’s circles and Saratoga gatherings.
Remembering Larry Roth
Larry Roth leaves behind a legacy defined by entrepreneurship, family, philanthropy and Thoroughbred racing.
From helping build Marchon Eyewear into an international company to creating LNJ Foxwoods with his wife and daughter, Roth spent decades developing businesses and projects closely tied to the people he loved.
His success in racing brought Grade 1 victories, championships, a Kentucky Derby triumph and a respected breeding program.
But his legacy also extends to the charitable organizations, horse-welfare initiatives and personal relationships he supported throughout his life.
For the Roth family and the racing community, his death marks the loss of a businessman and horseman whose influence reached far beyond the winner’s circle.