Dwyer Brothers Stable
Encyclopedia
Dwyer Brothers Stable was an American
thoroughbred horse racing operation owned by Brooklyn, New York businessmen, Phil and Mike Dwyer
.
The Dwyer brothers hired trainer Evert Snedecker
and purchased their first Thoroughbred, Rhadamanthus, in 1874. In October of that same year they acquired Vigil
from Col. David McDaniel who to that point had earned $5630. In the ensuing few months of 1876 the colt won another $20,160 and has been chosen that year's retrospective American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E4DE1239E033A2575AC1A96E9C94619ED7CF
Other trainers who worked for the Dwyers were James G. Rowe, Sr. and Frank McCabe
. The Dwyers won the 1881 Kentucky Derby
with future U.S. Hall of Fame
colt, Hindoo
and finished second with Runnymede
the following year. However, they had their greatest racing success in the Belmont Stakes
in their hometown, winning the classic event five times. One of the few major races at tracks in the New York/New Jersey area that they never won was the Brooklyn Handicap
. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9905E3D8153EE033A25754C2A9679C946697D6CF
The brothers, either together or individually, owned a number of prominent horses including Hindoo
, Bramble, Bella B., Luke Blackburn
, Bonnie Scotland, George Kinney, Miss Woodford, Barnes, Hanover
, Raceland
, Tremont
, Ben Brush, and Cleophus. Mike Dwyer was a partner in Kingston
. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E07E4DE133FEE3ABC4951DFB566838A699FDE
In 1886 they were a key part of the group of investors who formed the Brooklyn Jockey Club and built the Gravesend Race Track
at Gravesend on Coney Island
. The brothers racing partnership was dissolved in 1890 http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E4DE1239E033A2575AC1A96E9C94619ED7CF and Mike Dwyer went on to enjoy further success. He won the Kentucky Derby for the second time in 1896 with Ben Brush
, ridden by jockey Willie Simms
.
The Dwyer's were owners who, like many others of that era, pushed their horses hard in a manner that would be unacceptable today.
The Brooklyn Derby, founded in 1887, was renamed the Dwyer Stakes
in their honor in 1918.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred horse racing operation owned by Brooklyn, New York businessmen, Phil and Mike Dwyer
Michael F. Dwyer
Michael F. Dwyer was an American businessman from Brooklyn, New York and prominent owner of Thoroughbred racehorses and racetracks...
.
The Dwyer brothers hired trainer Evert Snedecker
Evert V. Snedecker
Evert V. "Eph" Snedecker was an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer and owner.Born on Long Island, New York, Evert Snedecker grew up in a family involved with the sport of horse racing.His grandparents owned racehorses and one of his uncles was a trainer. In 1852 he went to work at the...
and purchased their first Thoroughbred, Rhadamanthus, in 1874. In October of that same year they acquired Vigil
Vigil (horse)
Vigil was an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. -References:*...
from Col. David McDaniel who to that point had earned $5630. In the ensuing few months of 1876 the colt won another $20,160 and has been chosen that year's retrospective American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E4DE1239E033A2575AC1A96E9C94619ED7CF
Other trainers who worked for the Dwyers were James G. Rowe, Sr. and Frank McCabe
Frank McCabe
Frank Reilly McCabe was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. McCabe played collegiately at Marquette University....
. The Dwyers won the 1881 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
with future U.S. 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...
colt, 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...
and finished second with Runnymede
Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials...
the following year. However, they had their greatest racing success 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...
in their hometown, winning the classic event five times. One of the few major races at tracks in the New York/New Jersey area that they never won was the Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9905E3D8153EE033A25754C2A9679C946697D6CF
The brothers, either together or individually, owned a number of prominent horses including 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...
, Bramble, Bella B., Luke Blackburn
Luke Blackburn (horse)
Luke Blackburn was a Thoroughbred race horse born and bred in Tennessee by Capt. James Franklin.-Background:Sired by Bonnie Scotland, his dam was Nevada out of perhaps the most influential stallion America ever produced, the great Lexington. A bay foal, he was sold at two to Capt. Jim Williams...
, Bonnie Scotland, George Kinney, Miss Woodford, Barnes, Hanover
Hanover (thoroughbred horse)
Hanover was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse that won his first 17 race starts. He was the only American stallion to head the Leading sire in North America list for four consecutive years until Bold Ruler did so in 1965.-Background:...
, Raceland
Raceland (horse)
Raceland was an American Champion Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Out of the mare Calomel, his British sire, Billet, was imported to stand at stud in the United States where in 1883 he was the Leading sire in North America. Grandsire Voltigeur won England's Epsom Derby and St. Leger Stakes in...
, Tremont
Tremont (horse)
Tremont an American Thoroughbred racehorse who, according to the New York Racing Association, was acclaimed by 19th Century Thoroughbred Horse Racing historians as the best two-year-old ever bred in the United States....
, Ben Brush, and Cleophus. Mike Dwyer was a partner in Kingston
Kingston (horse)
Kingston was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He won 89 races, the most in the history of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Of his 138 starts, he was out of the money only on four occasions. He was later inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame.-Breeding:He was bred by James R. Keene...
. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E07E4DE133FEE3ABC4951DFB566838A699FDE
In 1886 they were a key part of the group of investors who formed the Brooklyn Jockey Club and built the Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track
Gravesend Race Track at Gravesend on Coney Island, New York was a Thoroughbred horse racing facility built by the Brooklyn Jockey Club as a result of the backing of the wealthy racing stable owners, the Dwyer Brothers. Philip J...
at Gravesend on Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
. The brothers racing partnership was dissolved in 1890 http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9801E4DE1239E033A2575AC1A96E9C94619ED7CF and Mike Dwyer went on to enjoy further success. He won the Kentucky Derby for the second time in 1896 with Ben Brush
Ben Brush (horse)
Ben Brush was a high class Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who won the 1896 Kentucky Derby. He was a bay stallion by Bramble out of Roseville by Reform...
, ridden by jockey Willie Simms
Willie Simms
Willie Simms was an American Hall of Fame thoroughbred horse racing jockey....
.
The Dwyer's were owners who, like many others of that era, pushed their horses hard in a manner that would be unacceptable today.
The Brooklyn Derby, founded in 1887, was renamed the Dwyer Stakes
Dwyer Stakes
The Dwyer Stakes is an American Grade II stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred racehorses held annually at Belmont Park racetrack in Elmont, Long Island, New York. Run in early July, it is open to three-year-old horses and is raced over a distance of 1 1/16-miles on dirt...
in their honor in 1918.
Dwyer Brothers U.S. Champions (retrospective)
- Horse of the Year: Hanover (1887)
- Champion Two-Year-Old Male Horse : Tremont (1886)
- Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse : Vigil (1876), Hindoo (1881), Runnymede (1882), Inspector B. (1886), Hanover (1887), Sir Dixon (1888)
- Champion Three-Year-Old Filly : Bella B. (1888)
- Champion Older Male Horse : Kingston (1889)
Belmont Stakes
- 1883 : Sir Dixon
- 1884 : HanoverHanover (thoroughbred horse)Hanover was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse that won his first 17 race starts. He was the only American stallion to head the Leading sire in North America list for four consecutive years until Bold Ruler did so in 1965.-Background:...
- 1886 : Inspector B.
- 1887 : Panique
- 1888 : George Kinney
Travers Stakes
- 1881 : Hindoo
- 1883 : Barnes
- 1886 : Inspector B.
- 1888 : Sir Dixon
- 1890 : Sir John