“I need to get to Friday, I need to get to Friday,” David Bennington, the president of the BC chapter of the CTHS kept telling family members in mid-April, his stepson Mike Bennington recalls. His father did make it to Friday but was gone the next day, April 23, at the age of 81. Cancer, which had appeared off-and-on in his colon years ago and spread to his lungs and spine, felled the long-time Hastings Racecourse owner/breeder.
Dave Bennington.
“I don’t know why he kept mentioning Friday, whether there was a meeting that day or what,” Mike, 50, said in an interview in calling his father’s passing a “double whammy” for BC’s racing community. That’s because his father’s death came only weeks after another highly passionate horseman and titan of the industry, Glen Todd, died at 75. Todd made headlines last year by giving Hastings an interest-free $1 million loan so it could complete its racing season.
At least David’s racing legacy will continue under his son, but Glen’s posthumous association with the track ended abruptly with his 30 horses being shipped to Washington where they were auctioned off. That was a blow to Hastings that can ill-afford to lose a large stable, given its short fields.
David will not only be fondly missed for a successful breeding career but also for the way “he helped so many people and never got agitated about anything,” Mike said. His background as a professional accountant resulted in his completing hundreds of tax returns yearly not only for backstretch people but for many others as well, Mike said.
Today, Shamrock Racing Stable Ltd., the name of the stable he and his dad created in 2000, has 10 horses. Six are racing at Hastings and one is at Century Mile in Edmonton. Three raced this past weekend. At Hastings, Devine Dancing, a three-year-old Ontario-bred filly by Silent Name (Jpn) out of Chapel Dancer trained by Brian Phillips, showed she loves to finish third (12-1-1-6).
His Shamrock Stable’s other three horses are racing at Woodbine in partnership with Woodbine trainer Beverley Chubb. Their four-year-old filly Benny’s Button (by Old Forester out of Dream Baby) made a splash in her debut race last July when she won at first asking at odds of 19-1. Their other two horses at Woodbine are unraced three-year-olds.
On the breeding side over the past two decades, the Bennington’s hard-knocking Halo’s Quest (by Real Quest out of Stormy Halo) is likely the most recognized by Hastings fans. Born in 2009, the gelding earned more than $100,000 in a career that spanned 2011-2019 (72-9-5-12). His half-brother, Requested Kiss (out of Develish Kiss) also gave the stable some thrills as a three- and four-year-old in 2016-2017 (9-2-2-1).
Then, the following year, the Benningtons had high hopes for Lord of the North (by Numaany out of Officer Mary) who broke his maiden at first asking and finished third in the B.C. Cup Nursery Stakes but managed only one more win the following year at Century Mile (12-2-0-2).
So what is it like not having David around? For Mike it’s not having the excitement of “watching the win” with his father. He also realizes “I have big shoes to fill.”
And as for the racetrack? Said track announcer Dan Jukich, “David’s passion for the industry will be missed. He was looking forward to revitalizing the breeding industry.” David had led the CTHS in the province for only six months before his death. At least, however, he presided over a bounce-back B.C. yearling sale in November where 75 horses were sold for $1.2 million compared to 2020 when 49 horses realized $639,600.
He has been quoted as falling in love with horses at the age of five watching his grandfather clearing land with a team of horses on the family farm in Duncan on Vancouver Island. Early involvement with horses included the now-defunct Sandown race track on the island.
Mike Bennington.
David’s favourite horse, said his son, was the 2013 BC-bred gelding, Crazy Prophet (by Rosberg out of Mazel Dancer). Crazy Prophet won the B.C. Cup Classic Handicap twice, finished second in the BC Derby (Gr. 3) in 2016 and second in the BC Premier’s Handicap (Gr. 3) in 2017.
And David had a betting standout as well. “He won $360,000 in the Sweep-6 in 1984,” Mike said. That was when Hastings was known as Exhibition Park and the growth of the pick-6 pools into the millions of dollars and the madding crowds associated with it were headline news. “He got hooked for life [on racing] after that win,” Mike said. “It was cool; we bought a house.”
But his dad also decided to dabble in dining. He opened a seafood restaurant called Guppy’s. “That lasted 10 minutes,” Mike said, as a way of showing it was horses – not fish and clams – that was his dad’s main calling. The restaurant lasted two years.
The best year for their Shamrock Racing Stable came in 2012 with 10 wins from 56 starts and earnings of $88,475(US). Over the 22-year partnership their record was 564-60-56-57 and earnings of $772,000(US).
Mike said he plans to alternate between Hastings and Century Mile, depending on the preferences of his horses. “Some don’t like the turns at Hastings so I’ll send them to Century where there’s a straighter stretch.” And how can he tell if a horse at Hastings wants a straightaway? “They’ll lift their heads up and look to the right [as they negotiate the turns].” Good to know.
What better way for Mike to honour his father’s memory now than to pile up the wins? He’ll certainly have friends of his father rooting for him and the three lobes of the shamrock symbol of his stable – faith, hope and love – offer encouragement. But he’s also got an ace in the hole. His Anglo-Saxon name, Bennington, is derived from the Latin word “Benedictus” that means “blessed.”
