The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

merrywriter — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:16:54 GMT

What about Gloria Vanderbilt's son, Anderson Cooper - is he interested in racing? I hope - he would be a good person to give attention to this sliding sport.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

billmarshall — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:56:53 GMT

Tim, weren't those Pastorale horses trained by your Dad?

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Tim Poole — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:37:07 GMT

Bill Marshall is quite correct in his detail. In addition there have been other members of the Whitney family who were involved in racing. Sandra, Joan Whitney Payson's daughter, raced under her mother's old stable name of Manhassett Stable. She campained many stakes winners in her own right including Ride Sally. She also campaigned the horse Major Beard, named in honor of the man responsible for overseeing all of Greentree.

C.V. "Sonny" Whitney's sister Barbara "Bobbi" Whitney Headley had her own stable, named Pastorale and campained a number of stakes winners including Lester and Twist the Axe.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

billmarshall — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:30:38 GMT

Just a couple of minor things. I believe Marylou Whitney's silks are a derivative of the old Whitney silks in that they carry an additional brown band around the middle. I believe C. V. Whitney passed the rights to his silks to his nephew, Leverett Miller, when he ceased racing.

Second, neither John Hay Whitney nor Joan Whitney Payson had anything significant to do with Greentree Stud or Stable from 1927 until 1942, two years before the death of their mother, Helen Hay Whitney. Helen Hay Whitney essentially ran Greentree with the primary general assistance of Major Louie Beard during this time. Jock Whitney raced, during this period of time, in his own name or that of his first wife, Liz. His breeding stock was kept at Mare's Nest Farm on acreage purchased from Col. Phil T. Chinn and, being in close proximity to the Whitney holdings on Paris Pike, was also managed by Maj. Beard. Mrs. Payson raced, during this period, under the name of Manhasset Stable. Greentree was reorganized in 1942 to insure its continuation from the older to the younger generation and the horses owned by Jock and Joan were incorporated into Greentree Stud and Stable.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

aspradling — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:41:19 GMT

Great stuff, I didn't know the history behind Saratoga and how the Whitney's played such an important role to help form the track into what it is today.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Bellwether — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:10:53 GMT

thanks for the rich, colorful, forgotten sport of T-Bred Horse Racing in Amercia...LLTK!!!

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

The Deacon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:58:24 GMT

Thanks for the great info on Silver Spoon. I was at Santa Anita in 1959 the day she won the Santa Anita Derby. I was 10 years old, and my dad who was a friend of Robert Wheeler the Hall of Fame trainer both told me that this was going to be one of the all time great fillies.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Racefan66 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:59:54 GMT

Wow, this was FANTASTIC!

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Johnny — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:29:07 GMT

The Deacon, you are correct about Silver Spoon's owner.

The filly won the Santa Anita Derby in 1959 for her sixth consecutive win (she raced twice as a two-year-old), before suffering her first defeat, a third place finish, in a seven furlong allowance against eventual Horse of the Year Sword Dancer. Silver Spoon followed that with a fifth place showing in the Kentucky Derby, won by Tomy Lee, after he nosed out Sword Dancer. Silver Spoon's race career would span a four-year-old season before she was retired.

Silver Spoon, a daughter of the great Citation, eventually was voted three-year-old champion filly (TRA) and I believe would later be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Becky Johnston — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:32:30 GMT

Yes indeed, C.V. Whitney owned and bred Silverspoon. Silverspoon is also a Hall of Fame member.

The broodmare sire of Silverspoon was Mahmoud, one of the horses that the Aga Khan sold to American interests to get him out of Europe before the break of World War II. Mahmoud shows up in a lot of pedigrees of today's horse because his daughter Almahmoud who produced Natalma the dam of Northern Dancer. It is amazing the part fate plays in the history of this sport.

One more thing, Harry Payne Whitney was the owner of Upset, the only horse to defeat Man O' War.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

The Deacon — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:53:28 GMT

Great article! Wasn't C.V. Whitney the owner of Silver Spoon, one of all time great mares. I think she may have won the Santa Anita Derby in 1059. Can anyone help me with this?

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Maggie — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:17:14 GMT

Wow! Thank you so much for that history lesson. As a continuous learner of the Sport of Kings, it was great to read all of this and take into account of the fabulous history of a family in horse racing. Now, I can watch the Whitney in a new light, remembering the historic richness the graded stakes race possesses.

re: The Whitney Handicap: a look at a treasured American family

Paul Pasqualini — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:07:17 GMT

Great article, extremely well done.