Sylvester Veitch
Encyclopedia
Sylvester E. Veitch was a Hall of Fame
thoroughbred
horse trainer
.
Veitch began his career in racing as a jockey
and trainer in Steeplechase racing
. In 1939 he moved to flat racing
when he began employment as a trainer with Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
in Kentucky
. He won two Belmont Stakes
while in Whitney's employment: one in 1947 with Phalanx
and the second in 1951 with Counterpoint
.
In 1958 he left his position with C.V. Whitney and began employment with George D. Widener, Jr.
where he trained What a Treat, and many other notable horses. In 1971, after Mr. Widener's death, Sylvester Veitch opened his own public stable. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in 1977.
Among his accomplishments, Sylvester Veitch held the single-season mark of 24 wins in 24 days set in 1954 at Saratoga Race Course
, a record that held until 2003. In the course of his career he had forty-four stakes winners. He trained 5 champions in all: First Flight in 1946, Phalanx
in 1947, Counterpoint
in 1951, Career Boy
in 1956, and What a Treat
in 1965.
Mr. Veitch died at the age of 85 at the Winthrop Hospital in Mineola
, Long Island
, New York
in February 1996 after a brief illness. His son, John M. Veitch
, is also a successful trainer.
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
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...
horse trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
.
Veitch began his career in racing as a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and trainer in Steeplechase racing
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
. In 1939 he moved to flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
when he began employment as a trainer with Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney was an American businessman, film producer, writer, and government official, as well as the owner of a leading stable of thoroughbred racehorses....
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He won two 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...
while in Whitney's employment: one in 1947 with Phalanx
Phalanx (horse)
Phalanx was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by Pilate, a son of the 1916 Belmont Stakes winner, Friar Rock. His dam was the outstanding runner, Jacola, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1937 who beat the great Seabiscuit by two lengths in the 1938 Laurel Stakes....
and the second in 1951 with Counterpoint
Counterpoint (horse)
Counterpoint was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by 1943 U.S. Triple Crown champion Count Fleet, as a yearling he injured an ankle bone severely enough that his racing future was put in doubt...
.
In 1958 he left his position with C.V. Whitney and began employment with George D. Widener, Jr.
George D. Widener, Jr.
George Dunton Widener, Jr. was an American businessman and thoroughbred racehorse owner; one of only five people ever designated "Exemplars of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
where he trained What a Treat, and many other notable horses. In 1971, after Mr. Widener's death, Sylvester Veitch opened his own public stable. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
in 1977.
Among his accomplishments, Sylvester Veitch held the single-season mark of 24 wins in 24 days set in 1954 at Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
, a record that held until 2003. In the course of his career he had forty-four stakes winners. He trained 5 champions in all: First Flight in 1946, Phalanx
Phalanx (horse)
Phalanx was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by Pilate, a son of the 1916 Belmont Stakes winner, Friar Rock. His dam was the outstanding runner, Jacola, the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 1937 who beat the great Seabiscuit by two lengths in the 1938 Laurel Stakes....
in 1947, Counterpoint
Counterpoint (horse)
Counterpoint was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Sired by 1943 U.S. Triple Crown champion Count Fleet, as a yearling he injured an ankle bone severely enough that his racing future was put in doubt...
in 1951, Career Boy
Career Boy
Career Boy was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was bred and raced by Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, a member of the prominent horse-racing Whitney family...
in 1956, and What a Treat
What a Treat
What a Treat was an American Thoroughbred filly racehorse who was voted the 1965 American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and who was sold as a broodmare in 1972 at a world record price....
in 1965.
Mr. Veitch died at the age of 85 at the Winthrop Hospital in Mineola
Mineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
, 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...
in February 1996 after a brief illness. His son, John M. Veitch
John M. Veitch
John M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....
, is also a successful trainer.