Herman B. Duryea
Encyclopedia
Herman L. B. Duryea was an American
Thoroughbred
race horse
owner and breeder.
Herman Duryea built an estate in Old Westbury
on Long Island
, New York
known as "Knole". Completed in 1903, it was designed by Carrere and Hastings
. In 1910 he sold the property to Henry Phipps
who bought it as a wedding gift for his daughter Helen's marriage to Bradley Martin.
where he bred dog
s and gamecock
s. In 1902 he began breeding race horses and soon became one of the leading Thoroughbred
racing owners in the United States. However, when many states
began passing anti-betting legislation that ended most racing, Duryea moved his breeding and racing operations to Haras du Gazon in Bazoches-au-Houlme
, Orne
, Normandy
, France
acquired from Maurice Ephrussi
.
Among Duryea's horses were Sweeper II who won the English
2,000 Guineas in 1912 and Durbar
who won the 1914 Epsom Derby
. He also owned the American-born mare, Frizette (1905-1929) purchased from friend James R. Keene
and Payne Whitney. Frizette, a granddaughter of Hindoo
, was one of the most important foundation matrons of the twentieth century whose offspring includes Seattle Slew
and Mr. Prospector
. The annual Frizette Stakes
at Belmont Park
is named in her honor.
One of the other very important fillies to race under Duryea's colors was the champion, Tanya
. Foaled in 1902 by William Collins Whitney, she was leased along with several other horses to race for Duryea in 1904 as a 2-year-old and won the Hopeful Stakes, the National Stallion Stakes
, and the Spinaway Stakes
. Unfortunately for Herman Duryea, she was purchased that fall by Whitney's son, Harry Payne Whitney
, for she is best known for her win the following spring in the Belmont Stakes
.
After Henry Duryea died in 1916 his widow maintained some of the French breeding farm's stallions
but much of the operation would eventually be sold to Marcel Boussac
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
race horse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
owner and breeder.
Herman Duryea built an estate in Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York
Old Westbury is a village in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 4,671....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
known as "Knole". Completed in 1903, it was designed by Carrere and Hastings
Carrère and Hastings
Carrère and Hastings, the firm of John Merven Carrère and Thomas Hastings , located in New York City, was one of the outstanding Beaux-Arts architecture firms in the United States. The partnership operated from 1885 until 1911, when Carrère was killed in an automobile accident...
. In 1910 he sold the property to Henry Phipps
Henry Phipps
Henry Phipps, Jr. was an American entrepreneur and major philanthropist.-Biography:He was the son of an English shoemaker who emigrated in the early part of the 19th century to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before settling in Pittsburgh. When a child, he was a friend and neighbor to Andrew Carnegie...
who bought it as a wedding gift for his daughter Helen's marriage to Bradley Martin.
Haras du Gazon
Herman Duryea also owned a large estate in TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
where he bred dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s and gamecock
Gamecock
A gamecock or game fowl is a type of rooster with physical and behavioral traits suitable for cockfighting. Game fowl are more closely related to their wild cousins "jungle fowl"; a shy wild chicken from forests in South Central and Southeastern Asia...
s. In 1902 he began breeding race horses and soon became one of the leading Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racing owners in the United States. However, when many states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
began passing anti-betting legislation that ended most racing, Duryea moved his breeding and racing operations to Haras du Gazon in Bazoches-au-Houlme
Bazoches-au-Houlme
Bazoches-au-Houlme is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.-References:*...
, Orne
Orne
Orne is a department in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne.- History :Orne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Normandy and Perche.- Geography :Orne is in the region of...
, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
acquired from Maurice Ephrussi
Maurice Ephrussi
Maurice Ephrussi was a French banker who also bred and raced Thoroughbreds.A member of the Ephrussi family, Maurice Ephrussi was born in the free port of Odessa where his father founded the Ephrussi Bank and was involved in the business of exporting wheat...
.
Among Duryea's horses were Sweeper II who won the English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
2,000 Guineas in 1912 and Durbar
Durbar (horse)
Durbar was a French racehorse. Although not the best of his generation in France , he proved too good for the leading British colts in the 1914 Epsom Derby, which he won by three lengths. His pedigree was controversial, with the British authorities not recognising him as a Thoroughbred...
who won the 1914 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. He also owned the American-born mare, Frizette (1905-1929) purchased from friend James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
and Payne Whitney. Frizette, a granddaughter of Hindoo
Hindoo (horse)
Hindoo was an outstanding American Thoroughbred race horse who won 30 of his 35 starts, including the Kentucky Derby, the Travers Stakes and the Clark Handicap. He later sired the Preakness Stakes winner Buddhist and the Belmont Stakes winner and Leading sire in North America, Hanover.He was a bay...
, was one of the most important foundation matrons of the twentieth century whose offspring includes Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew was an American Thoroughbred race horse who won the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1977, the tenth of eleven horses to accomplish the feat. He remains the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. In the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S...
and Mr. Prospector
Mr. Prospector
Mr. Prospector was a thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Kentucky, whose descendants have been dominant in the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. He won half of his 14 career races.-Background:...
. The annual Frizette Stakes
Frizette Stakes
The Frizette Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies raced annually at Belmont Park in the late fall. It is currently a Grade I stakes race at as distance of one mile. The Frizette is the female counterpart of the Champagne Stakes.The race is currently part of the...
at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
is named in her honor.
One of the other very important fillies to race under Duryea's colors was the champion, Tanya
Tanya (horse)
Tanya was an American thoroughbred filly racehorse bred and raised in Kentucky. She was bred by William Collins Whitney and foaled at his Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, New Jersey. Sired by the outstanding English stallion Meddler, she was out of the mare Handspun.Unfortunately, before Tanya could...
. Foaled in 1902 by William Collins Whitney, she was leased along with several other horses to race for Duryea in 1904 as a 2-year-old and won the Hopeful Stakes, the National Stallion Stakes
National Stallion Stakes
The National Stallion Stakes was two American Thoroughbred horse races inaugurated in 1898 at Morris Park Racetrack in The Bronx, New York.The race was separated between two-year-old fillies and colts and was for a time one of the premier events for that age group...
, and the Spinaway Stakes
Spinaway Stakes
The Spinaway Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to two-year-old fillies, it is a Grade I event contested at a distance of seven furlongs on dirt...
. Unfortunately for Herman Duryea, she was purchased that fall by Whitney's son, Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...
, for she is best known for her win the following spring in the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
.
After Henry Duryea died in 1916 his widow maintained some of the French breeding farm's stallions
Stallion (horse)
A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded .Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck, as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to...
but much of the operation would eventually be sold to Marcel Boussac
Marcel Boussac
Marcel Boussac was a French entrepreneur best known for his ownership of the Maison Dior and one of the most successful thoroughbred race horse breeding farms in European history....
.