Jane du Pont Lunger
Encyclopedia
Jane du Pont Lunger was an American heiress, philanthropist, and an owner/breeder of Thoroughbred
racehorses
. A sixth generation member of Delaware's
prominent Du Pont family
, her father, Philip Francis du Pont, was a major benefactor to the University of Virginia
.
In 1934, Jane du Pont married Harry W. Lunger (1905–1976) who worked at All American Aviation Company, a company founded by Richard du Pont and based in Wilmington, Delaware
. During 1936-1937 the Lungers built "Oberod," a stone mansion on rural acreage at 400 Burnt Mill Road in the Brandywine River Valley about 8 miles from downtown Wilmington, Delaware
.
In 2005, the Jane du Pont Lunger Residual Charitable Trust donated $250,000 to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc.
which underwrites veterinary research projects dedicated to the well being of horses. Her estate and family are major contributors to the Delaware Art Museum
.
. Their first trainer
was Selby Burch, son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, William Burch
. Next, John Healey, son of Hall of Fame trainer Thomas J. Healey
, took charge of Christiana Stables but he died at age 43 in 1947. Future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Henry Clark
took over and remained with the Lungers into the 1980s. He was followed by James Maloney
, William Badgett, Jr. and then James W. Murphy.
The Lungers raced some 45 stakes winners, many of which they bred themselves. Among their successful runners were Miss Ferdinand, Cyane, Dance Spell
, Endine, Light Hearted, Obeah
, Salem, and Thinking Cap. Following the 1976 death of her husband, Jane Lunger continued racing and breeding and enjoyed success with horses such as 1982 Blue Grass Stakes
winner, Linkage. In 1986, Jane Lunger sent her mare
Obeah
to Windfields Farm
in Maryland
where she was bred to Deputy Minister
. The mating resulted in the April 6, 1987 birth of Christiana Stables' greatest foal. A filly Mrs. Lunger named Go For Wand
was born at Walnut Green Farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania
owned by her son-in law, Richard I.G. Jones. After a stellar year in which Go For Wand won the 1989 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
she was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. In 1990 she won six Grade 1
races and earned her second Eclipse Award
as the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. Go For Wand suffered a catastrophic injury while leading down the homestretch in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Distaff
and had to be humanely euthanized
. She was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1996.
In 1980, Jane du Pont Lunger was recognized by the Thoroughbred Club of America as their Honored Lady Guest.
Jane du Pont Lunger was still significantly involved with racing and breeding at the time of her death in 2001 at age eighty-seven.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. A sixth generation member of Delaware's
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
prominent Du Pont family
Du Pont family
The Du Pont family is an American family descended from Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours . The son of a Paris watchmaker and a member of a Burgundian noble family, he and his sons, Victor Marie du Pont and Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, emigrated to the United States in 1800 and used the resources of...
, her father, Philip Francis du Pont, was a major benefactor to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
In 1934, Jane du Pont married Harry W. Lunger (1905–1976) who worked at All American Aviation Company, a company founded by Richard du Pont and based in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. During 1936-1937 the Lungers built "Oberod," a stone mansion on rural acreage at 400 Burnt Mill Road in the Brandywine River Valley about 8 miles from downtown Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
.
In 2005, the Jane du Pont Lunger Residual Charitable Trust donated $250,000 to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc.
The Jockey Club
The Jockey Club, formed on February 9, 1894, is the keeper of The American Stud Book. It came into existence after James R. Keene spearheaded a drive in support of racehorse trainers who had complained about the Board of Control that governed racing in New York State.-History:On its formation, The...
which underwrites veterinary research projects dedicated to the well being of horses. Her estate and family are major contributors to the Delaware Art Museum
Delaware Art Museum
The Delaware Art Museum is an art museum located on the Kentmere Parkway in Wilmington, Delaware, which holds a collection of more than 12,000 works. The museum, was founded in 1912 as the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts in honor of the artist Howard Pyle and is now celebrating its centennial...
.
Christiana Stables
In 1937, Jane and Harry Lunger established Christiana Stables, named for the community of Christiana, DelawareChristiana, Delaware
Christiana is a community near Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It is an unincorperated community in New Castle County, Delaware. It is home to the Christiana Mall and is the northern terminus to Delaware Route 1.-History:...
. Their first trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
was Selby Burch, son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, William Burch
William P. Burch
William Preston Burch was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer. A native of South Carolina, William Burch served as a courier in the Confederate States Army under Lieut. Gen. Wade Hampton III during the American Civil War...
. Next, John Healey, son of Hall of Fame trainer Thomas J. Healey
T. J. Healey
Thomas J. Healey was an American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame trainer.Regularly referred to as "T. J." by both his associates and the media, Healey was born near the site of Fordham University in Fordham, New York. Growing up he worked on his father's dairy farm but rather than cows, his...
, took charge of Christiana Stables but he died at age 43 in 1947. Future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee Henry Clark
Henry S. Clark
Henry S. Clark was an American Hall of Fame horse trainer. He was the grandson of William Jennings, an owner-trainer who won the 1887 Preakness Stakes....
took over and remained with the Lungers into the 1980s. He was followed by James Maloney
James W. Maloney
James W. "Jim" Maloney was an American Hall of Fame trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. The son of a trainer, his own professional career lasted fifty years from 1935 until his death in 1984....
, William Badgett, Jr. and then James W. Murphy.
The Lungers raced some 45 stakes winners, many of which they bred themselves. Among their successful runners were Miss Ferdinand, Cyane, Dance Spell
Dance Spell
Dance Spell was an American Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Kentucky by Harry and Jane Lunger's Christiana Stables. They entrusted his race conditioning to U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, James W...
, Endine, Light Hearted, Obeah
Obeah (horse)
Obeah was an American Thoroughbred racehorse for whom the Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park Racetrack is named. Bred in Kentucky by Bertram N. Linder, she was sired by 1961 Futurity Stakes winner, Cyane. Her dam was Book of Verse, a daughter of 1952 American Horse of the Year, One Count...
, Salem, and Thinking Cap. Following the 1976 death of her husband, Jane Lunger continued racing and breeding and enjoyed success with horses such as 1982 Blue Grass Stakes
Blue Grass Stakes
The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky....
winner, Linkage. In 1986, Jane Lunger sent her mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
Obeah
Obeah (horse)
Obeah was an American Thoroughbred racehorse for whom the Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park Racetrack is named. Bred in Kentucky by Bertram N. Linder, she was sired by 1961 Futurity Stakes winner, Cyane. Her dam was Book of Verse, a daughter of 1952 American Horse of the Year, One Count...
to Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm
Windfields Farm is a six square kilometre thoroughbred horse breeding farm founded by businessman E. P. Taylor in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The first stable and breeding operation of E. P. Taylor originated with a property near the city of Toronto known as Parkwood Stable when it was owned by...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
where she was bred to Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (horse)
Deputy Minister was a Canadian-bred Thoroughbred horse racing Champion. At age two, he won eight out of his nine starts and was voted the 1981 Sovereign and Eclipse Award winner as North American Champion 2-Yr-Old, and was also voted Canada's Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year...
. The mating resulted in the April 6, 1987 birth of Christiana Stables' greatest foal. A filly Mrs. Lunger named Go For Wand
Go For Wand
Go For Wand was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse.Sired by Canadian Hall of Famer Deputy Minister, out of Obeah . Go For Wand was foaled and raised at Jane du Pont Lunger's Christiana Stables...
was born at Walnut Green Farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania
Unionville, Pennsylvania
Unionville is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Unionville, Centre County, Pennsylvania*Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania*Neffs, Pennsylvania in Lehigh County, historically called Unionville...
owned by her son-in law, Richard I.G. Jones. After a stellar year in which Go For Wand won the 1989 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships.-Automatic Berths:Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup...
she was voted American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. In 1990 she won six Grade 1
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
races and earned her second Eclipse Award
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
as the American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly. Go For Wand suffered a catastrophic injury while leading down the homestretch in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Distaff
Breeders' Cup Distaff
The Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Distaff from its inception in 1984 through 2007, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders'...
and had to be humanely euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
. She was inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame in 1996.
In 1980, Jane du Pont Lunger was recognized by the Thoroughbred Club of America as their Honored Lady Guest.
Jane du Pont Lunger was still significantly involved with racing and breeding at the time of her death in 2001 at age eighty-seven.