Background
His father, Daniel Wildenstein, was a distinguished scholar of impressionism whose career and dominant personality overshadowed his son"s achievements.
His father, Daniel Wildenstein, was a distinguished scholar of impressionism whose career and dominant personality overshadowed his son"s achievements.
Born in Marseille, Wildenstein was raised in New York City where his family owned and operated an art gallery. In 1875, his great-grandfather founded a business dealing in art Upon his father"s death in 2001, Alec Wildenstein inherited half of a business empire estimated at $10 billion United States dollar and included what was believed to be the world"s largest private collection of major works of art
Alec Wildenstein enjoyed thoroughbreds for flat and steeplechase and standardbreds for harness racing.
His Ecurie Wildenstein racing stable hired Elie Lellouche and Dominique Sepulchre to train his flat horses, and Jean-Paul Gallorini and Marcel Rolland for his steeplechase runners. Wildenstein raced a number of successful horses including:.
Bright Sky – won the Prix de Diane, Prix de l"Opéra Aquarelliste – won Prix Vermeille, Prix de Diane, Prix Ganay Westerner – won Ascot Gold Cup, Prix du Cadran, Prix Royal-Oak, 2004 & 2005 European Champion Stayer Vallee Enchantee – won the Hong Kong Vase In 2004, Wildenstein"s steeplechase runner, Kotkijet, owned in partnership with Jean-Pierre Dubois, won his second Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
