Gary Edward Biszantz
1934 - 2026
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Gary Edward Biszantz crossed the finish line on March 14, 2026, at the age of 91.
Gary lived an incredibly full life, with enough stories to fill a book. Fortunately, he did just that, completing his yet-to-be-published memoir in 2025, titled The Winner’s Circle.
Born and raised in Glendora, California, Gary distinguished himself early as a natural athlete and fierce competitor. At Claremont McKenna College, he excelled in multiple sports, captained both the golf and basketball teams, and was named Athlete of the Year in 1956, an honor that reflected both his athletic ability and his relentless competitive drive.
After graduating, Gary joined his father’s automobile dealership and quickly proved himself a gifted businessman. Before long he assumed leadership of the dealership and built it into a successful enterprise. During these years he moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California, where he started his family and raised his six daughters. He became involved in community life and philanthropy, including helping lead fundraising efforts for the construction of the local school’s gymnasium.
Gary later went on to co-found Cobra Golf. As Chairman of the Board, he led Cobra through a period of tremendous growth, took the company public, and ultimately shepherded its sale to American Brands for a record sum. In 1991, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Golf remained one of Gary’s lifelong passions. He was an accomplished golfer, winning multiple club championships including Glendora Country Club, Rancho Santa Fe Country Club (three times), El Dorado Country Club in Palm Springs (four consecutive years), and the Palm Springs Municipal City Championship, where he defeated professional competitors. He was also an avid skier and loved spending winters in Vail, Colorado, where he and Betty owned a home for many years.
Following the sale of Cobra Golf, Gary turned his full attention to his lifelong passion, Thoroughbred horse racing. Over more than seventy years as an owner and breeder, and with hundreds of races won around the world, he became a respected and influential figure in the sport. He purchased land in Lexington, Kentucky that became his beloved Cobra Farm, a premier Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation that he ran for more than thirty years with his wife Betty and the help of his longtime assistant Mary Richards and longtime farm manager, Mike Owens. He had dozens of graded stakes winning horses including Kentucky Derby favorite, Old Trieste, whose name was inspired by a memorable trip he took with Betty and one of their favorite restaurants in San Diego.
Gary served four terms as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, sat on the Board of Directors of the Breeders’ Cup, and was a past director of Thoroughbred Owners of California. He was also a member of The Jockey Club and served on the board of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders.
Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Gary was among the earliest voices in the industry to publicly raise concerns about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Thoroughbred racing, speaking out decades before the issue became widely acknowledged.
Gary believed that the racing industry had a responsibility to care for the horses that made the sport possible. In 1998 he helped found Tranquility Farm, the Harry A. Biszantz Memorial Center for Thoroughbred Retirement, named in honor of his father. The farm was created to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide lifelong care for retired racehorses, and has helped hundreds of horses find peaceful retirement or second careers.
Throughout his life Gary remained committed to supporting athletics and the institutions that shaped him. At Claremont McKenna College he funded the construction of the award-winning Biszantz Family Tennis Center, and the Biszantz Family Gymnasium at the Encinitas YMCA, reflecting his belief in the power of sports to shape character and opportunity. He was also proud to support Betty in the construction of the nonprofit Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Gary was known by friends and family as larger than life. He was a consummate leader, a passionate horseman, and a natural storyteller. He loved an afternoon at OTB studying the form, and few things made him happier than sitting in the box at the races, close to the action, with a corned beef sandwich and cold beer. He proudly told stories of his ruthless man-on-man coverage during the legendary owners-versus-jockeys pickup basketball games at Saratoga.
He loved basketball and rarely missed the chance to watch the University of Kentucky Wildcats. He also loved classic westerns and proudly considered himself something of a western maverick, a man who preferred to chart his own course and speak his mind.
Above all, Gary was ethical, generous, and devoted to the people he loved. He was a committed husband, a loyal friend, and a loving father whose daughters and grandchildren were a great joy in his life. To them he was not just a patriarch, but an inspiration, a champion, and the source of countless stories that will be told for generations. Gary lived boldly, loved deeply, and never lost the fire in the belly that made him who he was.
He was predeceased by his mother, Helen Biszantz, his father, Harry Biszantz, his brother Ralph Biszantz, and his grandson David Menary IV.
Gary is survived by his loving family, including his devoted wife of 42 years, Betty Biszantz, and his six daughters: Allison Biszantz (Mike), Jo Ann Menary (Dave), Shannon Biszantz (Jim), Suzanne Biszantz Bennett (Scott), Nikelle Biszantz Vercollone (Nick), and Samantha Biszantz Stober (Matt).
He is also survived by nine adoring grandchildren: Jennifer Velarde-Menary (John), Gary Menary, Faith Menary, Avery Bennett, William Bennett, James Bennett, Carson Vercollone, Helena Vercollone, and Callum Stober.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the following charities:
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance:
https://www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/donation_now/
The Magdalena Ecke YMCA
https://pro.gofundme.com/give/458759/#!/donation/checkout
Central KY Riding for Hope:
https://ckrh.org/donate/
Fayette Alliance:
https://fayettealliance.com/donate/
Gary lived an incredibly full life, with enough stories to fill a book. Fortunately, he did just that, completing his yet-to-be-published memoir in 2025, titled The Winner’s Circle.
Born and raised in Glendora, California, Gary distinguished himself early as a natural athlete and fierce competitor. At Claremont McKenna College, he excelled in multiple sports, captained both the golf and basketball teams, and was named Athlete of the Year in 1956, an honor that reflected both his athletic ability and his relentless competitive drive.
After graduating, Gary joined his father’s automobile dealership and quickly proved himself a gifted businessman. Before long he assumed leadership of the dealership and built it into a successful enterprise. During these years he moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California, where he started his family and raised his six daughters. He became involved in community life and philanthropy, including helping lead fundraising efforts for the construction of the local school’s gymnasium.
Gary later went on to co-found Cobra Golf. As Chairman of the Board, he led Cobra through a period of tremendous growth, took the company public, and ultimately shepherded its sale to American Brands for a record sum. In 1991, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Golf remained one of Gary’s lifelong passions. He was an accomplished golfer, winning multiple club championships including Glendora Country Club, Rancho Santa Fe Country Club (three times), El Dorado Country Club in Palm Springs (four consecutive years), and the Palm Springs Municipal City Championship, where he defeated professional competitors. He was also an avid skier and loved spending winters in Vail, Colorado, where he and Betty owned a home for many years.
Following the sale of Cobra Golf, Gary turned his full attention to his lifelong passion, Thoroughbred horse racing. Over more than seventy years as an owner and breeder, and with hundreds of races won around the world, he became a respected and influential figure in the sport. He purchased land in Lexington, Kentucky that became his beloved Cobra Farm, a premier Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation that he ran for more than thirty years with his wife Betty and the help of his longtime assistant Mary Richards and longtime farm manager, Mike Owens. He had dozens of graded stakes winning horses including Kentucky Derby favorite, Old Trieste, whose name was inspired by a memorable trip he took with Betty and one of their favorite restaurants in San Diego.
Gary served four terms as chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, sat on the Board of Directors of the Breeders’ Cup, and was a past director of Thoroughbred Owners of California. He was also a member of The Jockey Club and served on the board of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders.
Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Gary was among the earliest voices in the industry to publicly raise concerns about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Thoroughbred racing, speaking out decades before the issue became widely acknowledged.
Gary believed that the racing industry had a responsibility to care for the horses that made the sport possible. In 1998 he helped found Tranquility Farm, the Harry A. Biszantz Memorial Center for Thoroughbred Retirement, named in honor of his father. The farm was created to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide lifelong care for retired racehorses, and has helped hundreds of horses find peaceful retirement or second careers.
Throughout his life Gary remained committed to supporting athletics and the institutions that shaped him. At Claremont McKenna College he funded the construction of the award-winning Biszantz Family Tennis Center, and the Biszantz Family Gymnasium at the Encinitas YMCA, reflecting his belief in the power of sports to shape character and opportunity. He was also proud to support Betty in the construction of the nonprofit Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego.
Gary was known by friends and family as larger than life. He was a consummate leader, a passionate horseman, and a natural storyteller. He loved an afternoon at OTB studying the form, and few things made him happier than sitting in the box at the races, close to the action, with a corned beef sandwich and cold beer. He proudly told stories of his ruthless man-on-man coverage during the legendary owners-versus-jockeys pickup basketball games at Saratoga.
He loved basketball and rarely missed the chance to watch the University of Kentucky Wildcats. He also loved classic westerns and proudly considered himself something of a western maverick, a man who preferred to chart his own course and speak his mind.
Above all, Gary was ethical, generous, and devoted to the people he loved. He was a committed husband, a loyal friend, and a loving father whose daughters and grandchildren were a great joy in his life. To them he was not just a patriarch, but an inspiration, a champion, and the source of countless stories that will be told for generations. Gary lived boldly, loved deeply, and never lost the fire in the belly that made him who he was.
He was predeceased by his mother, Helen Biszantz, his father, Harry Biszantz, his brother Ralph Biszantz, and his grandson David Menary IV.
Gary is survived by his loving family, including his devoted wife of 42 years, Betty Biszantz, and his six daughters: Allison Biszantz (Mike), Jo Ann Menary (Dave), Shannon Biszantz (Jim), Suzanne Biszantz Bennett (Scott), Nikelle Biszantz Vercollone (Nick), and Samantha Biszantz Stober (Matt).
He is also survived by nine adoring grandchildren: Jennifer Velarde-Menary (John), Gary Menary, Faith Menary, Avery Bennett, William Bennett, James Bennett, Carson Vercollone, Helena Vercollone, and Callum Stober.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the following charities:
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance:
https://www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/donation_now/
The Magdalena Ecke YMCA
https://pro.gofundme.com/give/458759/#!/donation/checkout
Central KY Riding for Hope:
https://ckrh.org/donate/
Fayette Alliance:
https://fayettealliance.com/donate/
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