Angel Penna Obituary, Death – Angel Penna Jr., the trainer of Eclipse Award winners Christmas Past and Laugh and Be Merry and the son of Hall of Famer Angel Penna Sr., died on Tuesday at the age of 74. Angel Penna Jr. was the son of Angel Penna Sr., a Hall of Famer. Penna, who had dementia for some time, died peacefully while receiving care at a memory care facility near his home in Boca Raton, Florida.
Penna, who was born in the Argentina city of Buenos Aires, worked as an assistant to his father for many years before going into business for himself in 1980. Cynthia Phipps, who competed under the name Wheatley Stable, her grandmother’s stable, which had also bred and raced Bold Ruler, was one of his customers at the time. Cynthia Phipps raced in the Wheatley Stable colors. Christmas Past, owned by Phipps, tried twice as a 2-year-old but failed to break her maiden. However, she was successful in doing so the following year.
Pin Oak Farm was the proud owner of Laugh and Be Merry, a champion grass mare who won the title in 1990. She won five stakes races during that racing season, including the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks, the Grade I Gulfstream Park Handicap, and the Grade I Ruffian Handicap. During that same year, she won three different stakes, including the GI Flower Bowl H. “He loved his horses,” said the man’s widow, Ruth. “As you know, he was an excellent instructor.” He was very proud of himself for bringing them to the races.
Penna’s other horses include Perfect Arc, Silver Voice, Via Borghese, Auntie Mame, A Phenomenon, and Diamondrella. In addition, one of his customers was Martha Gerry’s Lazy F. Ranch. Penna finished his career with 586 victories and a total earnings of $24,084,854, according to Equibase. He will begin the race for the final time on November 4, 2021. His wife, Elinor Penna, and his stepmother were among those who survived the fire.
