Trainer, racing official Gary Palmisano Sr. dies

Gary Palmisano Sr., a former trainer and longtime paddock judge at Fair Grounds, died Dec. 1 in New Orleans.

Palmisano, 74, was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago with prostate cancer to which he eventually succumbed.

Palmisano made a late career change to become the paddock judge at Fair Grounds after a successful run that began during the 1970s as a Louisiana-based trainer, mainly at defunct Jefferson Downs in Kenner, La., and at Fair Grounds.

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Prospering in the late 1990s and early 2000s with horses owned by Vickie Krantz, wife of former Fair Grounds owner Bryan Krantz, Palmisano won seven stakes between 2002 and 2004 and had his best years in terms of stable earnings in 2000 and 2004. Palmisano’s top horses were Krantz homebreds, multiple stakes winner Destiny Calls and Coach Rags, for years a stalwart on the Fair Grounds grass course.

Palmisano is survived by his wife, Karen Palmisano, and his son, Gary Palmisano, an executive at Churchill Downs Inc. Services are pending and Fair Grounds plans a memorial service in the spring.