Gary Biszantz, founder of Cobra Farm and four-time chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, died March 14 at age 91, according to Mike Owens, longtime manager at Cobra Farm, which Biszantz sold last year.
"Any person who was around him, he impacted in one way or another. He was larger than life," Owens said.
Biszantz, a California native, took over his father's car dealership in the 1950s and turned it into two very successful dealerships. After that, he co-founded Cobra Golf and built the company into a leading manufacturer. In 1996, Cobra Golf was acquired by American Brands for $756 million.
Following a love for Thoroughbred racing, he established Cobra Farm near Lexington in the 1990s. Cobra Farm campaigned many graded stakes winners over the years, including multiple graded stakes winner Old Trieste. The son of A.P. Indy took Biszantz to the Kentucky Derby (G1) in 1998, where he finished 10th. Following his Kentucky Derby effort, he went back to competing on the California circuit, where he won four graded stakes in a row.
Cobra King, who was bred by Biszantz and owned by his wife, Betty Biszantz, first stirred up Derby dreams in 1995 when he won the Balboa Stakes (G3) and Hollywood Prevue Breeders' Cup Stakes (G3) at age 2. The son of Farma Way went on to capture the 1996 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) before finishing eighth behind Unbridled's Song in the 1996 Florida Derby (G1), exiting with a bowed tendon, leading to an early retirement.
"I had a 30-year relationship with him. We had good times, and we had some bad times, but he took them all in stride," Owens said. "He found a way to improve a bad situation. He was the eternal optimist. As soon as a foal hit the ground, that was his next (Kentucky) Derby horse."
Another horse that represented Cobra Farm and the dedication of Owens was Sinister Minister, winner of the 2006 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. The son of the aforementioned Old Trieste was bred by Owens and sold as a 2-year-old for $40,000 in 2005. He was a starter in the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
In more recent years, Biszantz campaigned Twisted Tom in partnership with RR Partners and Head of Plains Partners, who ran sixth in the 2017 Belmont Stakes (G1) and went on to win three consecutive black-type races in New York.
The legacy of Cobra Farm thrives in modern pedigrees, notably because they campaigned Star of Goshen, the 1997 La Troienne Stakes winner who went on to produce multiple grade 1 winner Pioneerof the Nile, the sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
"Nobody knows this, because we didn't do the breeding, but we actually put Pioneerof the Nile in the belly, and ultimately sold the mare (Star of Goshen)," Owens said.
In addition to his breeding and racing operation, Biszantz served four terms as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and was also a member of The Jockey Club.
"He really enjoyed the farm life, and he loved being on the farm. He spent the last 10 years living on the farm." Owens said. "He loved sitting out on his porch, looking over the fields and watching the horses. He loved coming to the barns and watching the horses.
"He was with horses for 70 years of his life. He loved the backside. He loved to tell stories of being on the backside with D. Wayne Lukas, B. Wayne Hughes, and (John) Mabee. He was in his element on the backside of the racetrack."
Owens noted that Biszantz never feared venturing into uncharted territory, a bold approach that paved his way to success.
"The most favorite statement that he made was, 'I might not be right, but I'm never confused.' He wasn't afraid to put himself out there."
Service arrangements are pending.
