Risen Star Stakes and the Benson Boogie

The St. Louis Cathedral. (Photos by Geoff Worden)
Like most of us, Tom and Gayle Benson fantasized about having a horse in the Kentucky Derby and started GMB Racing in 2014. Only two years later, the Bensons already have two top 25 horses (one in the top 10) in the run for the roses points race. No, you probably cannot replicate that feat but you can get close to their lifestyle for this weekend’s Risen Star.
Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle, own the New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA). They own multiple car dealerships and donate a lot of money to charity, including enough money for the Tom and Gayle Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner Hospital, and they live on Audubon Place. You can’t live there, you can’t even visit unless you are expected - it’s a private road with a guard at the entrance. You also probably can’t go spend nearly $300,000 on two horses and offer a $500,000 bonus to the first trainer that wins a Grade 1 or Triple Crown race for you. You can, however, get pretty close to their lifestyle for a day or so, here’s how.
AUDUBON PLACE

First you need to reserve seats in the clubhouse at Fair Grounds. The Bensons made their way to the winner’s circle after the Lecomte Stakes when they had a GMB Racing exacta but they did not spend their day with the general admission crowd.
Start your race day in Audubon Park, just across St. Charles Ave. from Audubon Place. It’s not the same but it’s free to enter and a wonderful respite from the city. There are plenty of birds, even sometimes a pelican or two.
AUDUBON PARK

Eat at Commander’s Palace. I always recommend brunch, especially if you plan to get to the races. It seems the Bensons eat there a lot. The New York Times noted in a 2014 article that they celebrated there after rebranding the NBA team from Hornets to Pelicans. A Forbes article from the same year mentioned Ti Martin (one of the proprietors) noting that “she contacted the restaurant’s top guests, including New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson” while preparing to auction off some reservations for Super Bowl weekend for charity.
Even if you’re not a famous, wealthy regular you will be treated like royalty by the amazing employees of Commander’s Palace. Be sure to dress appropriately and make a reservation. (For more details about this restaurant and some others with outdoor dining, see this earlier article - and take advantage of the weather!)
COMMANDER'S PALACE

The only other restaurant link I could find to the Bensons specifically, despite numerous searches and a few phone calls, was this unusual video where Pelicans players (and a coach) “cook” and serve the Bensons a meal at Borgne. The acting is wooden, at best, and I might not choose to eat their versions of John Besh’s food, but I’m pretty sure you won’t find NBA players in the kitchen on your visit.
Besh has become a major player in the restaurant scene in New Orleans, propelled forward by accolades from his flagship, Restaurant August, and some resilient energy post-Katrina. Brian Landry runs the kitchen at Borgne and he has a great hand with Louisiana seafood. Being a native New Orleanian and spending five years as the executive chef at Galatoire’s, a local institution, certainly helps.
One place you must visit while following in the Bensons’ footsteps is St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, a most iconic New Orleans location. Gayle and Tom met there and later renewed their vows at the location as well. You can attend a service or take a tour or wander around, find details here.

The Bensons are benefactors of the New Orleans Museum of Art (close to the track) and you could easily sneak in a visit before post time for the six stakes races on Saturday’s card. If you want to be outside you could wander through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden (free to enter, but please leave a donation) and enjoy some amazing art.
You also need to get a few things ready to celebrate. Tom Benson does not do the Benson Boogie anymore. But he used to and it created enough interest for HBO to do this piece on him in 1988. For years and years, Mr. Benson would celebrate on the second line on the field with a black and gold umbrella after Saints victories. You can find similar items on eBay and Etsy, or make your own, there are a lot of ideas on Pinterest. Then you’ll be prepared to boogie with a GMB victory. Who knows, maybe you’ll get invited into the winner’s circle.
You will also need a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate … or drown your sorrows. An article published by the Times Picayune in 2014 featured a picture of some wine bottles from the Bensons’ cellar. I see Caymus Special Select Cabernet in the background and Dom Perignon (complete with a Super Bowl Champions engraving!) If those are a bit more expensive for your budget, try the regular Caymus Cabernet (around $70) or maybe the Caymus Conundrum Red (under $25). Moët & Chandon makes Dom Perignon but also produces other champagnes closer to $50 and they even make some California sparklers around $20 under the name Chandon. Or, you could simply opt for the Budweiser that is slightly out of focus in the foreground of the same photograph in the article.
There, you’re all ready to spend some time like a fancy billionaire without actually being one. Enjoy the first race of the year that raises the Kentucky Derby points stakes considerably. The Risen Star will be a tougher race than the Lecomte, but if the Benson exacta occurs again, they will have one horse in first place and another in the top five in the race to the Kentucky Derby and you will feel like a part of it. See you at the Fair Grounds!