Trainer Greg De Gannes dies at age 50

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A memorial service was to be held at Palm Meadows on Wednesday for Greg De Gannes, an Ontario-based trainer who died in Florida last Sunday at age 50.

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 of 11 stakes 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 also finished second or third 212 times and earned almost $6 million.

A funeral service for De Gannes is to be held in Canada at a later date. His survivors include his former wife, Melissa, and children Ava and Evan.