Michael F. Dwyer
Encyclopedia
Michael F. Dwyer was an American businessman from Brooklyn
, New York
and prominent owner of Thoroughbred
racehorses
and racetracks
. He and older brother Philip made a fortune in the meat packing industry
, supplying butcher shops
, eating establishments and hotel
s.
into one of the top racing operations in the United States. Between them, they won the Kentucky Derby
twice, the Preakness Stakes
once, and the Belmont Stakes
five times in the six years from 1883 through 1888. They owned and raced some of the best horses in the history of American Thoroughbred flat racing
including four that have been inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
. In 1890, the Dwyers decided to dissolve their formal racing partnership. Mike Dwyer went on to enjoy further racing success and gained control of the New Jersey Jockey Club that operated a racetrack in Elizabeth, New Jersey
.
at Gravesend
on Coney Island
, New York
.
in 1891 and Chaired by John Hunter, the Racing Trust, more commonly referred to as the Board of Control, was the governing authority that oversaw the sport of horse racing in New York State. It was dominated by the Dwyer brothers and John A. Morris
, a businessman known as the "lottery king" who owned the Morris Park Racecourse
. In the early 1890s they came under severe criticism from a group of horse trainer
s who claimed the Dwyers routinely acted in their own self interests to the detriment of the competitors and the public. The trainers called for change and were soon joined by a group of prominent owners such as James R. Keene
and August Belmont, Jr.
. The matter culminated with the 1894 formation of The Jockey Club
.
Mike Dwyer was notorious for betting
enormous amounts of money on the outcome of horse races. He died in 1906 and in his brother Philip's 1917 obituary, the New York Times newspaper reported that Mike Dwyer "paralyzed the betting ring with the magnitude of his wagers" and died in "in poor circumstances" as a result of his heavy gambling. The 2004 book Women of the Year - Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor said that by the time Dwyer died, reporters believed that he had lost more than $1.5 million betting on favorites.
His eldest son, Charles F. Dwyer, who won the 1898 Preakness Stakes
with the colt Sly Fox
, would also become notorious for his gambling. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B03E4D9153DE633A25753C2A9649C94689ED7CF
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and prominent owner of Thoroughbred
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...
and racetracks
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
. He and older brother Philip made a fortune in the meat packing industry
Meat packing industry
The meat packing industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock...
, supplying butcher shops
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
, eating establishments and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s.
Thoroughbred racing
In 1874 the Dwyer brothers entered the sport of Thoroughbred racing, building their Dwyer Brothers StableDwyer Brothers Stable
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...
into one of the top racing operations in the United States. Between them, they won the 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...
twice, the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
once, and 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...
five times in the six years from 1883 through 1888. They owned and raced some of the best horses in the history of American Thoroughbred flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
including four that have been inducted in the National Museum of Racing and 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...
. In 1890, the Dwyers decided to dissolve their formal racing partnership. Mike Dwyer went on to enjoy further racing success and gained control of the New Jersey Jockey Club that operated a racetrack in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
.
Racetrack ownership
During the 1880s, the Dwyer brothers entered into a leasing arrangement for the Prospect Park Fair Grounds Trotting Track which they operated so successfully that they decided to build their own racing facility. In 1887 they established the Brooklyn Jockey Club which built and operated the Gravesend Race TrackGravesend 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
Gravesend, Brooklyn
Gravesend is a neighborhood in the south-central section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA.The derivation of the name is unclear. Some speculate that it was named after the English seaport of Gravesend, Kent. An alternative explanation suggests that it was named by Willem Kieft for the...
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....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The Racing Trust
Organized by Pierre Lorillard IVPierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner.-Biography:...
in 1891 and Chaired by John Hunter, the Racing Trust, more commonly referred to as the Board of Control, was the governing authority that oversaw the sport of horse racing in New York State. It was dominated by the Dwyer brothers and John A. Morris
John Albert Morris
John Albert Morris was an American businessman widely known as the "Lottery King" and a prominent figure in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing...
, a businessman known as the "lottery king" who owned the Morris Park Racecourse
Morris Park Racecourse
Morris Park Racecourse was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility from 1889 until 1904. It was located in a part of Westchester County, New York that was annexed into the Bronx in 1895 and later became known as Morris Park...
. In the early 1890s they came under severe criticism from a group of horse 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...
s who claimed the Dwyers routinely acted in their own self interests to the detriment of the competitors and the public. The trainers called for change and were soon joined by a group of prominent owners such as James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
and August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr.
August Belmont, Jr. was an American financier, the builder of New York's Belmont Park racetrack, and a major owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.-Early life:...
. The matter culminated with the 1894 formation of The Jockey Club
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...
.
Mike Dwyer was notorious for betting
Parimutuel betting
Parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool; taxes and the "house-take" or "vig" is removed, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets...
enormous amounts of money on the outcome of horse races. He died in 1906 and in his brother Philip's 1917 obituary, the New York Times newspaper reported that Mike Dwyer "paralyzed the betting ring with the magnitude of his wagers" and died in "in poor circumstances" as a result of his heavy gambling. The 2004 book Women of the Year - Ten Fillies Who Achieved Horse Racing's Highest Honor said that by the time Dwyer died, reporters believed that he had lost more than $1.5 million betting on favorites.
His eldest son, Charles F. Dwyer, who won the 1898 Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
with the colt Sly Fox
Sly Fox (horse)
Sly Fox was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1898 Preakness Stakes. He was bred by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Wyndham Walden at his Bowling Brook Stud in Middleburg, Maryland. A son of Silver Fox, whose English sire was the 1883 Epsom Derby winner, St...
, would also become notorious for his gambling. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B03E4D9153DE633A25753C2A9649C94689ED7CF