Breeders' Cup-winning owner Frank Calabrese, who took home 10 consecutive leading owner titles at Arlington Park starting in 2000 and bred late sire Fast Anna, passed away on his 96th birthday, Monday, Nov. 4 at his home in Park Ridge, Illinois.
A pioneer in the printing, Calabrese founded FCL Graphics in 1973 and sold the business in 2004. The avid horseplayer ran under FCC stables and paired primarily with trainer Wayne Catalano.
With homebred Dreaming of Anna (Rahy), the duo won the 2006 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Woodbine, which earned her an Eclipse Award.
The champion 2-year-old would go to the breeding shed for Calabrese where she was responsible for Fast Anna, the sire of MGISW Thorpedo Anna.
According to Equibase, Calabrese alone started 6,180 horses and visited the winner's circle 1,853 times, which put him in the top five among all North American owners on eight occasions. His career earnings over 24 years are listed at over $34 million.
Calabrese is survived by his oldest son Frank Calabrese; son Carmen Calabrese, daughter-in-law Jane, grandchildren Nicole (Paul) Tenorio, Sam (Liz) Calabrese, and Matt (Addie) Calabrese, and great-grandchildren Jane, Vinny, Ben, Dominic, and Joey; youngest son Lewis Calabrese, daughter-in-law, Linnea, and grandsons Frank Calabrese II and Nicholas Calabrese; siblings Anna Anderson, Carl Calabrese, and Josephine DeVivo. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Louise “Liz” Calabrese, née Maddalone.
A visitation will be held Thursday, Nov. 7 from 9:30 a.m. CT until prayers at 11:00 a.m CT at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home, 120 S. Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois followed by an 11:30 a.m. CT Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, 320 S. Washington Street, Park Ridge, Illinois.
Interment will follow at Town of Maine Cemetery, Park Ridge, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
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