Father and Son a Force at Tampa Bay

By Doug McCoy

Bennett and Bennett: It sounds like the title of a law firm, but those who follow racing at Tampa Bay Downs know Bennett and Bennett means trainers Gerald and Dale Bennett, the father-son duo whose stables have consistently ranked among the leaders at the Florida track for much of the last 15 years.

The elder Bennett has been training for more than 40 years and is still a driving force at age 71. Last winter the Nova Scotia, Canada, native saddled his 3,500th career winner at Tampa and ranks 11th on the all-time win list among active trainers. Over the years Gerald Bennett has proved to be one of the shrewdest horsemen in the business when it comes to spotting claiming horses with potential.

He claimed Lombardi Time for $10,000, and the horse went on to earn nearly $900,000 for his owners. He also haltered Adorable Racer for $3,500, and that one earned nearly $250,000 before being claimed for $32,000.

And Bennett has developed his fair share of outstanding runners, topped by Secret Romeo, one of the most successful Michigan-breds in history. Secret Romeo won 23 of 55 starts and earned $865,790 during a five-year career. He was beaten just a nose by eventual grade I winner Bonapaw in the 2002 Arlington Sprint Handicap.

Dale Bennett had his sights set on playing in the National Hockey League as a youngster, but despite the fact he was a tough competitor, his size worked against him for hockey so he turned his attention to horses. Being the boss' son got him no special treatment; his father started him out at the bottom of the stable food chain.

"My first job was sweeping the shed row and making sure the horses kept moving on the walking machine," the younger Bennett said. His father eventually allowed him to groom, and then gallop horses on the farm. He then moved to the track and worked for his father for nearly 15 years before going off on his own in 1998.

Starting with three horses, Dale Bennett lived in a tack room during his early years as a conditioner but in time went on to build one of the stronger outfits in the Midwest. He has won more than 600 races and has developed a number of top runners including stakes winners Cool Cowboy and Public Speaker.

And like his father, Bennett has earned a reputation as having a very good eye for claiming horses. One his more recent success stories is Gimmeadrink, a horse who has won 12 races over the past two years after being claimed for $5,000.

This season the Bennetts are again doing what they do best: win races. Heading into the Dec. 26 program, Gerald Bennett has won nine races from 34 starters for a 26% winning clip and is tied for the lead in the trainer standings, while Dale has saddled five winners from 19 starters for a 26% success rate. The Bennetts recently discussed about their relationship and respective approaches to the care and training of their horses.

"Even though I didn't realize it at the time I was fortunate to have spent my early years working on the farm," Dale Bennett said. "Working with the horses we were rehabbing helped me learn a lot about what it takes to get horses sound and happy. I learned how to rub horses, what to do for different problems one horse or another might have, and also how to get horses feeling good mentally.

"By the time I went to work full-time at the track, the knowledge I'd picked up on the farm went a long way toward making me a better horseman. And watching my dad in the morning at the track, how he checked every horse's legs and got input from the grooms about how (the horses) were eating up, I learned to watch for the little things that can signal changes in a horse from day to day. I learned every horse is different; they're individuals and each one has their own personality and own needs."

Gerald Bennett said his son didn't ask a lot of questions when he was younger but was observant and quietly absorbed a lot of knowledge in the time they worked together.

"Dale was always watching, always keeping an eye on things," he said. "Once in a while he'd ask me something, and usually they were usually good questions. He was always a hard worker and took a lot of pride in the horses he worked with. Once he decided the track was where he wanted to be he committed to it completely.

"You can see the results of that commitment in his horses. He's a top-flight horseman. I know one thing—I don't want to have to run against him."

The Bennetts also have family support. Gerald's wife, Mary, is his right-hand "person," and while she has scaled back her time at the barn, she still handles most of the paperwork and recordkeeping for their stable. Dale's wife of 15 years, Denise, is his assistant both at the barn and with the administrative duties of their public stable.

The father and son can be seen most days in their box at Tampa Bay, watching races, keeping notes, and checking overnights and condition books for upcoming programs. They often huddle in the track kitchen in the morning to talk about the upcoming races that day.

Dale Bennett recalled such a conversation in 2011.

"I spotted this horse that was in for $16,000 I thought might be worth the money," he said. "He had good grass breeding and I showed my dad the program. My dad looked at the horse's (past performances) and said he agreed. He said he was going to call one of his owners and see if (the owner) wanted to take him.

"So a couple of hours later he calls and says he can't get a hold of the owner. I figured if he wasn't going to claim him I'd call one of my guys and see if he wanted to go in for the horse. So I dropped a claim in and my dad is out by the paddock looking at the horse. He said, 'I got my owner and he said to claim the horse,' and I said, 'Dad, you said you weren't going to claim him so I dropped a claim in for him, too.' He said, 'Well I guess one of us will find out if he's worth the money, won't we?'

"So I lost the shake for the horse to my dad. The horse's name was Crimson Knight, and the first time my dad ran the horse he got beat a neck at 86-1 in the Tampa Bay Derby!"