Gertrude T. Douglas Widener was an American socialite and a successful Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder.
Background
Born in Albany, New York, she was the daughter of New York State Senator, Curtis N. Douglas. Known to her friends as "Gertie," she married first to Frederick Peabody, a successful men"s clothing manufacturer with whom she adopted a daughter, Joan, the natural daughter of Edward C. Johnson and Alice Brandt. The couple divorced in 1924 and in November of that year Gertrude remarried to prominent Philadelphian Peter Arrell Brown Widener II, son and heir of Joseph E. Widener, a family heavily involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.
Career
In 1925 Joseph Widener had the stables at his Lynnewood Hall estate converted into a home for Peter and Gertrude. By the mid-1950s, Gertrude Widener was living almost full time in Paris and remained there until 1968 when her failing health led to her returning home to New York City in 1968 where she died from cancer on February 3, 1970. Her remains were returned to Philadelphia for burial next to her husband, Peter.
Gertrude Widener owned Ampola who became the foundation mare for her French breeding operation.
The principal trainer of her racing stable based in France was Etienne Pollet who remained with her until she dispersed her stable in 1968. During her thirty plus years in racing, Gertrude Widener bred or raced four champions:
Voted 1947 American Champion Sprint Horse.
Sire of United States. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Native Dancer. French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.
Sold in 1968 for a European auction record price of 1.02 million French francs.
Grey Dawn (b 1962) - wins in France included the most important race for juveniles, the Grand Critérium (1964). Gertrude Widener notably bred and raced Dan Cupid, sire of Sea Bird whose 145 Timeform rating is the highest in flat racing history.
Achievements
Her filly Hula Dancer won the British Classic 1,000 Guineas Stakes in 1966 and that same year her filly Right Away won the French equivalent and most important race for three-year-old fillies in France, the Poule d"Essai des Pouliches. Gertrude Widener"s horses twice won the Prix Maurice de Gheest (1963, 1964), Critérium International (1962, 1964), Prix Robert Papin (1957, 1959), Prix Daphnis (1936, 1967). She also won the Prix Morny three times (1957, 1961, 1964) and through 2009, she still holds the record for most wins in the Prix de Fontainebleau with four (1961, 1962, 1965, 1968), plus the record for most wins in the Prix du Bois with five (1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963).
Polynesian (b 1942) - multiple stakes winner including the 1945 Preakness Stakes.
Prudent (b 1959) - wins included the 1961 Prix de la Salamandre, Prix Yacowlef, and Prix Morny. Hula Dancer (b 1960) - won multiple top races in Europe including a British Classic in 1963, the 1,000 Guineas Stakes.
Voted French Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, he won in the United States before being retired to stud duty where he was the Leading broodmare sire in North America in 1990.
