James R. Keene

James R. Keene

Infobox Person


image_size = 120px
name = James R. Keene
caption = James R. Keene, c. 1875
birth_date = 1838
birth_place = London, England
death_date = death date|1913|1|3
death_place = New York, New York, U.S.
occupation = Businessman:
Stock broker
Racehorse owner/breeder

James Robert Keene born 1838 - January 3, 1913 was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.

Born in London, England he was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States. As a young man, James R. Keene made a fortune through shrewd investments in California and Nevada mining companies and was eventually appointed president of the San Francisco Stock Exchange.

Wanting to expand his business opportunities, in 1876 he relocated to the heart of the country's financial center in New York City. While living there, he became interested in horse racing and began investing heavily in a stable of Thoroughbred race horses. His colt Spendthrift won the 1879 Belmont Stakes, and after Pierre Lorillard had shipped some of his American-bred horses to race in England and became the first American owner to win the Epsom Derby, James R. Keene followed suit. In 1881, his horse Foxhall, named for his son, became the first American horse to win the Grand Prix de Paris, then the most important race in France. The following year Foxhall won England's Ascot Gold Cup.

However, in 1884 huge losses in the Chicago grain market cost James R. Keene everything he owned, leaving him with nothing but heavy debts. He began a remarkable comeback a few years later after being hired by Wall Street investor William Havemeyer to manage a stock fund. Such were his talents at market manipulation that he was soon engaged by J.P. Morgan and William Rockefeller to manage funds for them and Keene emerged once again as a wealthy and powerful force in the New York financial community.

By 1891 James R. Keene was back to investing in race horses and his Castleton Farm near Lexington, Kentucky became one of the most important breeding operations in the history of American horse racing. In the early 1890s, Keene bought over forty English mares and shipped them to Castleton for breeding. Keene hired his brother-in-law, Major Foxhall Daingerfield, to run Castleton Farm and for his racing stable he hired James G. Rowe, Sr. as trainer. He returned to racing in England, this time involving his son Foxhall P. Keene in the racing stable. Their filly Cap and Bells II won the 1901 Epsom Oaks. In 1908, London Sportsman Magazine wrote that Keene possessed, "the greatest lot of race horses ever owned by one man."

James R. Keene bred National Museum of Racing and Hall of Famer Kingston and owned Domino, as well as breeding and owning future Hall of Famers Colin, Peter Pan, Commando, Maskette, and Sysonby. Keene owned six Belmont Stakes winners but at a time when transporting horses south to other racetracks via railroad was a long, costly, and often risky venture, he never entered his horses in the Kentucky Derby, and won the Preakness Stakes only once.

James R. Keene died in 1913 and was interred in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx. He was vice-Chairman of The Jockey Club at the time of his passing. In 1938 his son Foxhall P. Keene published his biography titled "Full Tilt"."

In 1863 he married Sara Jay Daingerfield with whom he had son Foxhall and a daughter, Jessica. Sara Keene died in 1916 and is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery next to her husband. They are the great-great grandparents of actor Michael Daingerfield. Fact|date=April 2008

Preakness Stakes winner:
*1894 : Assignee

Belmont Stakes winners:
*1879 : Spendthrift
*1901 : Commando
*1904 : Delhi
*1907 : Peter Pan
*1908 : Colin
*1910 : Sweep

References

* Bowen, Edward L. "Legacies of the Turf: A Century of Great Thoroughbred Breeders" (2003) Eclipse Press ISBN 1-58150-102-1
* Hatch, Alden and Keene, Foxhall. "Full Tilt. The Sporting Memoirs of Foxhall Keene" (1938) Derrydale Press ISBN 1-199-23975-5


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • James Keene —  James Keene Spielerinformationen Voller Name James Duncan Keene Geburtstag 26. Dezember 1985 Geburtsort Wells, England Position Stürmer …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Keene — may refer to the following: Places ;In Canada * Keene, Ontario, a small community in Ontario, Canada;In the United States: * Keene, California, a census designated place (CDP) in Kern County * Keene, New Hampshire, county seat of Cheshire County… …   Wikipedia

  • James G. Rowe, Sr. — Horseracing personalities infobox name = James G. Rowe, Sr. caption = occupation = Jockey / Trainer birthplace = Richmond, Virginia, U.S. birth date = 1857 death date = August 2, 1929 career wins = Not found race = American Classic Race wins:… …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (1797–1881) — James Wilson (* 18. März 1797 in Peterborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; † 29. Mai 1881 in Keene, New Hampshire) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1847 und 1850 vertrat er den Bundesstaat New Hampshire im US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Keene — Pas d image ? Cliquez ici. Situation actuelle Club actuel …   Wikipédia en Français

  • James Waller — James Edward Waller Jr. is the Cohen Chair of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College located in Keene, New Hampshire. Professor Waller has a significant role in Keene State College s new baccalaureate program in Holocaust and… …   Wikipedia

  • Keene — heißen folgende Orte in den Vereinigten Staaten: Keene (Kalifornien) Keene (Kentucky) Keene (New Hampshire) Keene (New York) Keene (North Dakota) Keene (Ohio) Keene (Texas) Keene (Virginia) diverse Keene Townships in Kanada: Keene (Ontario) Keene …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (1766–1839) — James Wilson (* 16. August 1766 in Peterborough, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; † 4. Januar 1839 in Keene, New Hampshire) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1809 und 1811 vertrat er den Bundesstaat New Hampshire im US… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • James Wilson II (New Hampshire) — James Wilson (March 18, 1797 May 29, 1881) was a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire, son of James Wilson (1766 1839).Born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, Wilson attended the academies at New Ipswich, Atkinson, and Exeter. He moved with his… …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson I (New Hampshire) — James Wilson (August 16, 1766 January 4, 1839) was a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire, father of James Wilson (1797 1881).Born in Peterborough, New Hampshire, Wilson attended Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, and was graduated from… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”