Benowitz family still racing but without their leader

This has been a poignant start to the Del Mar summer meeting for the family of the late Gerald Benowitz, a co-owner of the famous California gelding Soi Phet.

Gerald Benowitz died after a brief illness on July 8 at the age of 75. The family continues to run a small group of horses, including Proud Pedro, the winner of an allowance race on turf on July 24, and Guitty, who was second in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on July 25.

“It was an emotional win,” Jeff Benowitz, said earlier this week, reflecting on Proud Pedro’s victory and his father’s recent death.

“We almost got back-to-back, but graded stakes placed was terrific. The only thing missing was my dad.”

Gerald Benowitz was known to his friends as Jerry and was a lifelong racing fan, drawn to the sport by an interest in handicapping. Professionally, Benowitz worked as a stock broker for Merrill Lynch, and later founded a business of child care centers. Benowitz owned horses in the 1970s and 80s and resumed ownership in the early 2010s.

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One of his first acquisitions in recent years was Soi Phet, a $16,000 claim in 2013 who won eight stakes and earned $985,837 for a small partnership

Soi Phet, trained by Leonard Powell, retired at the age of 11 in 2019 and now resides at Old Friends Thoroughbred retirement farm in Kentucky.

The prize money Soi Phet earned allowed Jerry Benowitz to expand his stable. Benowitz was part of a partnership that owned Fatale Bere, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in 2018.

Jerry Benowitz and his wife, Sandra, retired to Las Vegas in the early 2000s, but made annual summertime trips to the San Diego area to see family and attend races at Del Mar, Jeff Benowitz said.

“He was there every single day,” Jeff Benowitz said.

Proud Pedro and Guitty are trained by Powell. They may run in graded stakes on Aug. 22 – Proud Pedro in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap and Guitty in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

“That’s our target,” Jeff Benowitz said. “My dad would be all fired up.”

Jerry Benowitz is survived by his wife, Sandra, and three children.