Christopher Chenery

Christopher Chenery
Born	September 19, 1886(1886-09-19) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Died	January 3, 1973(1973-01-03) (aged 86) New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Residence	Pelham Manor, New York
Education	Randolph-Macon College, Washington and Lee University
Occupation	Businessman: Engineering Racehorse owner/breeder
Spouse	Helen Bates
Children	Hollis Margaret Helen Bates "Penny"
Parents	James Hollis Chenery & Ida Burnley Taylor

Honors
	Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder (1972, 1973)
	Virginia Thoroughbred Association Hall of Fame (1987)

Christopher Tompkins Chenery (September 19, 1886 - January 3, 1973) was an American engineer, businessman, and owner/breeder of Thoroughbred horse racing's U.S. Triple Crown champion Secretariat.

Chenery was born in Richmond, and raised in Ashland, Virginia. He was the brother of William L. Chenery, Editor-Publisher of Colliers Magazine. He studied at Randolph-Macon College and Washington and Lee University, graduating in 1909 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. He then went to work in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Alaska, but his career was interrupted with service in the United States Army Corps of Engineers during World War I. After the war, Chenery established Chenery Corporation, which became the controlling shareholder of the Federal Water Service Company. He served as the water, gas, and pipeline company's president. Chenery was involved in two cases before the Supreme Court of the United States that are considered landmark cases of United States administrative law.^[1]

Meadow Farm

One of the founders of the New York Racing Association, Chenery made his home in the village of Pelham Manor, New York, for nearly fifty years. However, he is best known for his 1932 purchase of Meadow Farm near his native Richmond, Virginia, that bred and owned Thoroughbred racehorses.

On the farm property, Chenery operated Meadow Stud, Inc. as a breeding business and Meadow Stable, Inc. as the owner for the horses he kept for racing. His operations produced and raced the champion colt and 1972 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Riva Ridge, and superhorse Secretariat, winner of the 1973 U.S. Triple Crown. Among his other horses of note, Chenery owned and bred Hill Prince, the 1950 U.S. Horse of the Year; Cicada, champion filly at 2, 3, and 4; and First Landing, the 1958 U.S. Champion 2-yr-old colt.

Chenery was admitted to the New Rochelle, New York Hospital in late February 1968. He remained there until his death on January 3, 1973, before Secretariat's Triple Crown victory occurred. His daughter Penny took over the management of the 2,798-acre (11.32 km²) farm and its racing stable. While she recorded her father as breeder of Secretariat, it was Penny Chenery who made the decision to send Meadow Farm's mare Somethingroyal to be bred to Bold Ruler twice. The first mating in 1968 produced the filly The Bride. The second breeding, in 1969, resulted in Secretariat.

Now known as Meadow Event Park, the former farm became the home of the Virginia State Fair in 2009.

References

1. ^ SEC v. Chenery Corp., 332 U.S. 194 (1947).

External links

Biography portal

• Pelham Manor website
• The Meadow Event Park
• Virginia Thoroughbred Association Hall of Fame
• Bowen, Edward L. Legacies of the Turf: A Century of Great Thoroughbred Breeders (2003) Eclipse Press ISBN 978-1581501025

Further reading

• Nack, William. Secretariat: The Making of a Champion (2002) Da Capo Press ISBN 978-0306811333

Persondata
Name	Chenery, Christopher
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	September 19, 1886
Place of birth	Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Date of death	January 3, 1973
Place of death	New Rochelle, New York, U.S.