Greentree Stable, in

Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York metro ...

, was a major American

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

stable and breeding farm established in 1914 by

Payne Whitney William Payne Whitney (March 20, 1876 – May 25, 1927) was an American businessman and member of the influential Whitney family. He inherited a fortune and enlarged it through business dealings, then devoted much of his money and efforts to ...

of the

Whitney family The Whitney family is a prominent American family descended from non-Norman English immigrant John Whitney (1592–1673), who left London in 1635 and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts. The historic family mansion in Watertown, known as The Elm ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Payne Whitney operated a horse farm and stable at

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the ...

with his brother

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeding, horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as ...

, who also had a large stable of horses. Greentree Stable had a training base at

Aiken, South Carolina Aiken is the most populous city in, and the county seat of, Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025, making it the 15th-most populous city in South Carolina, and one of the two largest ci ...

, while Greentree Farm in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...

was established in 1925 as its breeding arm.

History

After Whitney's

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

horse won the 1911 Greentree Cup race at

Great Neck, New York Great Neck is a region contained within Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York (state), New York, on Long Island, which covers a peninsula on the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore and includes nine incorporated villages, among th ...

, it was decided to use the Greentree name for several of their properties. Following Payne Whitney's death in 1927, his widow,

Helen Hay Whitney Helen Julia Hay Whitney (March 11, 1875 – September 24, 1944) was an American poet, writer, horse racing, racehorse owner and breeder, socialite, and philanthropist. She was a member by marriage of the prominent Whitney family of New York. Ea ...

, took over the operation. Her son

John Hay Whitney John Hay Whitney (August 17, 1904 – February 8, 1982) was an American venture capitalist, sportsman, philanthropist, newspaper publisher, film producer and diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, publisher of the '' New ...

was also involved in Thoroughbred racing especially so with his wife Liz Whitney. Daughter

Joan Whitney Payson Joan Whitney Payson (February 5, 1903 – October 4, 1975) was an American heiress, businesswoman, philanthropist, patron of the arts and art collector, and a member of the prominent Whitney family. She co-founded, and was the majority owner of, ...

raced horses under the ''

nom de course NOM may refer to: Arts and entertainment * NOM and NOM2, mobile device games produced by Gamevil * "Nom", a song by DKZ * N.O.M., an experimental Russian rock band * Nickelodeon Original Movies * ''Nintendo Official Magazine'', the official Br ...

'' Manhasset Stable. On their mother's death, they continued to build on Greentree Stable's success. Greentree Stable horses won many important steeplechase and flat races throughout the United States. As part of a program honoring important Thoroughbred tracks and racing stables, the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy," was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its ...

named its baggage car #5859 the ''Greentree Stable''. In January 1928, Thomas W. Murphy, a renowned

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

trainer, became head trainer for Greentree Stable. Murphy stayed until the end of the 1930

Pimlico Pimlico () is a district in Central London, in the City of Westminster, built as a southern extension to neighbouring Belgravia. It is known for its garden squares and distinctive Regency architecture. Pimlico is demarcated to the north by Lon ...

fall meeting, and was replaced by James G. Rowe, Jr. Trained by Rowe, the Whitney stable's colt

Twenty Grand Twenty Grand (1928–1948) was an American thoroughbred race horse. Owned and bred by Helen Hay Whitney's Greentree Stable, Twenty Grand was a bay colt by St. Germans out of Bonus. Racing career Trained at age three by James G. Rowe, Jr ...

earned the

Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year The American Award for Horse of the Year, or simply Horse of the Year, one of the Eclipse Awards, is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. Because Thoroughbred horse racing in the United States has no governing body to san ...

in 1931 and was inducted into the

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 horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1957. Hall of Fame trainer John M. Gaver, Sr., who won the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

for the stable three times, trained

Devil Diver Devil Diver (1939–1961) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was twice voted American Champion Older Male Horse. Background Devil Diver was foaled at Mrs. Payne Whitney's Greentree Stable in Lexington, Kentucky. A bay colt by Sir ...

, Champion Handicap Horse in 1943–1944 and the 1953 Horse of the Year

Tom Fool Tom Fool (March 31, 1949 – August 20, 1976) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1953 American Horse of the Year and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Racing Hall of Fame. He sired the champi ...

. Both horses were also voted into the Hall of Fame: Devil Diver in 1980 and Tom Fool in 1960. Helen Whitney's steeplechasers won the American Grand National four times (1926–1928 and 1937). Her horse Jolly Roger (who won the Grand National twice) was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965. Greentree Stable also had polo ponies"Whitney Final". ''Time'', October 4, 1937
Retrieved 2011-10-15. and steeplechasers, one of which won the 1946 American Grand National. Other steeplechasers raced in England and Ireland. After the deaths of John and Joan Whitney, their heirs sold the Kentucky property to its current owners, Gainesway Farm, in 1989. The equestrian estate in Saratoga Springs was offered for sale in 2005.

U.S. Triple Crown race winners

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

: **1931:

**1942:

Shut Out Shut Out may refer to: * Shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable ...

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

: **1949:

Capot Capot (1946–1974) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse sired by Menow out of the mare Piquet. Owned and bred by Greentree Stable, Capot was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr. Two-year-old season Racing as a two-year-old, Capot won the Cham ...

: **1931:

**1942:

**1949:

**1968: Stage Door Johnny

References

{{Reflist American racehorse owners and breeders Owners of Kentucky Derby winners Owners of Preakness Stakes winners Owners of Belmont Stakes winners Horse farms in Kentucky Whitney family Economy of Lexington, Kentucky Buildings and structures in Aiken County, South Carolina Buildings and structures in Lexington, Kentucky