Louis R. Carno

CARNO - Louis Robert Carno, a longtime thoroughbred horse trainer and Arcadia resident Lou Carno passed away peacefully in his sleep at 5 a.m. Friday April 15, 2011. He was age 90. Lou was raised in Lincoln Heights to Italian Immigrant parents Frank and Marie. Lou attended Lincoln Heights High School and started training horses right out of school. This turned into a life long passion actively training for over 70 years “semi retiring” only at age 86. He felt so strongly about horses that when his parents offered him a car at age 16, he opted for a horse instead! Known as “The Silver Fox,” Lou was seldom seen around town without his trademark cigar and biting wit. He could often be seen at the old Tommy T’s restaurant in Arcadia ordering a burger which had been named after him, “The Silver Fox.” Carno was best known as the trainer of Victory Beauty, a hard hitting gelding who won 30 races, including eight stakes for Carno. In 1964 at age 8, Victory Beauty won the Escondido Handicap at Del Mar and a stakes race in Mexico, the Agua Caliente Gold Cup. Victory Beauty would make history in 1969, when at 13, he became the oldest horse to ever win at Santa Anita. Victory Beauty retired that year with earnings of $203,491. Carno also garnered considerable acclaim as the trainer of stakes winning and crowd favorite Caterman who had a total earning of $673,735. In addition to his illustrious racing career, Lou had a Variety of interests. He was usually at the golf course on Monday with his track buddies, and spent some afternoons tending to his beautiful garden at his long time home in Arcadia. Lou loved nature, and all of God’s creatures and was probably the original “bird whisper.” The only time during his adult life that Lou didn’t train horses was when he courageously served his country as a Marine during the Guadalcanal Campaign of the Pacific War. Lou was a decorated War Hero, earning a Purple Heart. Lou was a tried and true Marine to the end describing himself as “Tuff, but Fair!” Lou was at peace with life when he passed and had a smile on his face. Lou is survived by his loving wife Kathy Carno of Arcadia (owner of the aptly named “Paddock Hair Salon”), three children, Robert, Sharon and Michael, as well as two step children, Jason and Jeremy. He is preceded in death by his 8 brother and sisters. Services for Lou will be held Monday, April 25, at the Douglas & Zook Chapel of Remembrance Funeral Home, 600 East Foothill Blvd., Monrovia. There will be a viewing at 3 p.m. and a memorial service at 4 p.m., with a reception to follow. All friends are welcome. Those who wish to make a donation instead of flowers can do so by sending their memoriam to: Singing Oaks Retirement Community, 110 North Mountain Ave., Monrovia, CA. 91016. Care entrusted to the Douglass & Zook Chapel of Remembrance (626-358-3244).