Isabel Cleves Dodge Sloane was an American socialite and dog breeder, racehorse owner.
Background
She was born on February 26, 1896 in Detroit, Michigan, United States, the daughter of John Francis Dodge, an automobile manufacturer, and of Ivy S. Hawkins. Her mother died in 1901, and in that same year John Dodge and his brother, Horace, started a machine shop that grew rapidly by filling contracts for the automobile manufacturers Ransom Eli Olds and Henry Ford. In 1914 the Dodge Brothers Company began manufacturing its own cars.
Education
Isabel graduated from the Liggett School at Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in 1913.
Career
When her father died in 1920, his estate was estimated at more than $40 million, of which she inherited more than $7 million. But Sloane achieved her greatest fame with flat racers. In 1927 her colt Brooms won the Hopeful Stakes. Her marriage ended in divorce in 1929, and she bought Brookmeade Farm in Upperville, Virginia, that same year. Sloane supervised every aspect of Thoroughbred activity: workouts, entries, sales, and breeding.
She was considered a discriminating and sometimes extravagant buyer at the yearling auctions. It was a long time before Brookmeade Stable had success at breeding, but Flag Pole won the Swift Stakes in 1932. Sloane liked to bet at the track (where she often entertained lavishly): "I bet small sums, because the interesting thing about betting to me is not the amount of money you can make: it's whether or not you can finish ahead of the book-makers for the day. " But she never bet on big races in which her horses were entered.
Sloane was also a successful breeder of dogs. Frank Brumby was her manager. Her Brookmeade Kennels' first major success came when a schnauzer was judged best in show at Westbury in 1925. At Westminster in 1928, Brookmeade won best of breed in bassets with Walhampton Grappler and in schnauzers with Harno vom Schoenblick. Okapi, Sloane's favorite horse, won $17, 885 in 1932. The next year, Brookmeade Stable was third on the list of money-winning owners, and Inlander was the leading money-winning three-year-old.
1934 was the best year for Sloane. Brookmeade Stable won more money than any other ($251, 138). The Brookmeade colors - white with royal blue cross sashes-seemed to win everything. Cavalcade won the Kentucky Derby and four other stakes. Sloane had bought him for $1, 200 as a yearling. His races were especially exciting. Sloane said she had many arguments with her trainer Bob Smith about whether Cavalcade or High Quest was their best horse. Smith preferred High Quest, which won the Preakness.
During World War II, Sloane belonged to the American Women's Voluntary Services and was active in the organization's salvage bureau. She was also involved aiding servicemen and their families, and participated in benefit programs held at racetracks. The headquarters of Brookmeade Stable was at Belmont Park. Preston Burch, and later his son Elliott, were Sloane's trainers.
In 1952, Sloane reduced the size of her stable and sold her crop of yearlings. In 1955, Brookmeade had an excellent homebred horse, Sailor. Sword Dancer was Horse of the Year in 1959 and, when he was retired, had earned $829, 610. In 1960, Bowl of Flowers was the champion two-year-old filly. When Brookmeade-bred Eidolon won the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park for another owner in 1962, he was the sixty-third stakes winner Sloane had bred. She died in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Achievements
Views
Quotations:
In 1951 as guest of honor at the annual dinner of the Thoroughbred Club of America, she said, "Racing and breeding horses are my hobby, business, my pleasure, and almost my entire life. "
Personality
Sloane was active socially, but she did not like publicity and was skeptical of the value of interviews and reporters.
Interests
She had always liked horses and entered racing through steeplechasing.
Connections
On February 28, 1921, Isabel married George Sloane, a securities broker. They had no children. The Sloanes lived on an estate in Locust Valley, New York; had an apartment in Manhattan; and also spent time in Palm Beach, Florida. She divorced in 1929.