Gary Biszantz, a man deeply passionate about the turf and the Argentine and South American horse

The former owner of Lord Grillo, Venusberg, and Brunilda, among others, has passed away at the age of 91 in the United States

Gary Biszantz was the owner of Lord Grillo and Venusberg / GOOGLE

The international and Argentine turf received the sad news this week of the passing of Gary Biszantz, a figure whose presence left an indelible mark on racing over the last decades. Founder of the emblematic Cobra Farm and a four-time president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), the director and owner passed away last Saturday at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering optimism and a very close emotional and professional bond with breeding in the Southern Cone.

Biszantz, a native Californian who transformed his father's car dealership into an empire before revolutionizing the golf industry with the creation of Cobra Golf—a firm he would sell in 1996 for the staggering figure of 756 million dollars—found his true passion in racehorses. It was in the 1990s when he established his base of operations in this city, and from there he projected his colors toward the most demanding stages in the world, including a highly fruitful relationship with Argentina, hand in hand with a great friend like John Fulton.

For the local fan, the name of Gary Biszantz and his Cobra Farm are intimately linked to names that made the grandstands of San Isidro and Palermo vibrate. Perhaps the high point of that connection was Lord Grillo(Engrillado), that standout runner who crossed the Equator to carry the Argentine flag to the top in the 1997 Malibu Stakes (G1), where he had the audacity to defeat none other than Silver Charm (Silver Buck), the winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness Stakes (G1).

But his romance with the blue and white turf did not end there. Biszantz was a regular buyer and an enthusiast of Argentine genetics. Under his silks shone Venusberg (Southern Halo), who won the Estrellas on the San Isidro turf, demonstrating the validity of his eye for major events. Also passing through his hands and wearing his colors were specimens of the caliber of Brunilda (Mutakddim), winner of the Eatontown Handicap (G3) in the United States; Guapazo (Luhuk), Solarana (Mutakddim), and the Chilean Perssonet (Hussonet). On our tracks, his colors were also defended by high-class mares such as La Grimaldi (Southern Halo) and La Promenade (Southern Halo), among others.

At the domestic level in the North, his campaign was equally stellar. Old Trieste, that formidable son of A.P. Indy with an imposing physique, was perhaps his most beloved horse, taking him to compete in the 1998 Kentucky Derby and later winning four consecutive graded stakes in California. He also bred Cobra King (Farma Way) and vibrated with Sinister Minister (Old Trieste), who under the care of Owens jumped to fame winning the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

However, the deepest impact of Biszantz on modern racing occurred almost silently through breeding. It was in the paddocks of Cobra Farm where the story of Star of Goshen was forged, a daughter of the Argentine star Lord At War (General) and winner of the La Troienne Stakes (G2) for his colors, who would later produce Pioneerof the Nile(Empire Maker). The latter, a star stallion, would ultimately give the world American Pharoah, the horse that broke the 37-year drought without a Triple Crown winner. "Nobody knows it, because we didn't do the final breeding, but we put Pioneerof the Nile in the mother's belly before selling her," Owens recalled with pride.

A member of the American Jockey Club, Gary spent his last 10 years living on his farm, enjoying the view of the foals from his porch. His philosophy of life was summarized in a phrase he used to repeat: "I may not be right, but I am never confused." That determination, added to a gentlemanliness of another era and a global vision that repeatedly brought him to seek talent in Argentina, makes him a significant loss for the industry, regardless of his age.

An eternal optimist has departed, a man who saw in every birth a potential Derby winner and who, along the way, forged an unforgettable alliance with South American turf.