De Gannes memorial service scheduled for Tuesday

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday for trainer Greg De Gannes, who died unexpectedly at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida last Sunday at age 50.

The service will take place at Sacred Heart Church, 14485 Jane Street, in King City, Ontario.

De Gannes, born in Trinidad, relocated to Canada in 1973 when his father, Rolph De Gannes, accepted a position as resident veterinarian at Windfields Farm.

Greg De Gannes followed in his father’s footsteps, graduating from the University of Guelph’s veterinary program in 1988 and going on to work at Woodbine in various veterinary practices. His clients included Minshall Farm during the years when trainer Barbara Minshall campaigned the likes of 1996 Canadian Horse of the Year Mt. Sassafras.

De Gannes later joined up with Florida-based Mockingbird Farm and trainer Mark Casse and worked as an assistant trainer in that highly successful operation before going out on his own in 2004. He went on to saddle 124 winners from 978 starters with his eight stakes winners including Jenny’s So Great, Sweet Redemption, Crown’s Path, Olredlgetcha, Mobthewarrior, Southern Exchange, C Karma, and Mr. Pee Vee.

Horses trained by De Gannes earned almost $6 million.

His survivors include his parents, Rolph and Sheila; former wife, Melissa; and children Ava and Evan.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, MADD Canada, or the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada.