Philanthropist, Sportsman, Member of the Vanderbilt family, He was born in London and educated at St. Paul's School and Yale, and his grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, was reputed to be the world's richest man. His mother, Margaret Emerson, came from Bromo-Seltzer wealth, and his father, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, died after giving his life jacket to a woman on the Lusitania when the ship was sunk by German U-boats in the Atlantic in 1915. His greatest achievement in racing was undoubtedly a horse: Native Dancer. He was sired by Polynesian and foaled by the mare Geisha, Daughter of Discovery, leading Vanderbilt to postulate this formula for success in breeding racers: ''Breed something to a Discovery mare.'' And Native Dancer, whose name was one of the lineage puns for which Vanderbilt was famous, was the prime example. He reigned as the champion 2-year-old colt in 1952, champion 3-year-old colt in 1953 and Horse of the Year in 1954. His older half-brother, William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901-1981), was governor of Rhode Island from 1938 to 1940. His younger brother George Washington Vanderbilt III (1914-1961) was a yachtsman and explorer.
Bio by: Bobby Kelley
Bio by: Bobby Kelley
Philanthropist, Sportsman, Member of the Vanderbilt family, He was born in London and educated at St. Paul's School and Yale, and his grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, was reputed to be the world's richest man. His mother, Margaret Emerson, came from Bromo-Seltzer wealth, and his father, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, died after giving his life jacket to a woman on the Lusitania when the ship was sunk by German U-boats in the Atlantic in 1915. His greatest achievement in racing was undoubtedly a horse: Native Dancer. He was sired by Polynesian and foaled by the mare Geisha, Daughter of Discovery, leading Vanderbilt to postulate this formula for success in breeding racers: ''Breed something to a Discovery mare.'' And Native Dancer, whose name was one of the lineage puns for which Vanderbilt was famous, was the prime example. He reigned as the champion 2-year-old colt in 1952, champion 3-year-old colt in 1953 and Horse of the Year in 1954. His older half-brother, William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901-1981), was governor of Rhode Island from 1938 to 1940. His younger brother George Washington Vanderbilt III (1914-1961) was a yachtsman and explorer.
Bio by: Bobby Kelley
Bio by: Bobby Kelley
