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John Hay Whitney Whitney-Pay son Represented By Straight Face, Big Gelding GREENTREE STABLE, nom de course of Mrs. Charles S. Payson and John Hay Whitney, is no stranger to Derby competi tion, and the entry of Straight Face in todays Derby is quite in keeping with Green-tree tradition. Green-tree, under its present ownership, has had four Derby starters — Capot, second in 1949 with a stablemate, Wine List, and Hall of Fame and Big Stretch in 1950. Green-tree was founded in 1921 by the late Mrs. Payne Whitney, once known as the "first lady of the turf," and during her ownership, started 12 times in the Derby and two —Twenty Grand 1931 and Shut Out 1942 — won. Straight Face, a strapping gelded son of Count Fleet, 1943 Derby victor, was bred at the famed Greentree farm just north of Lexington on Paris Pike. Mrs. Whitneys son and daughter have owned and operated the farm since 1947. It is one of the showplaces of Kentucky. In addition to those mentioned, Greentree has had four other Derby starters — Sailor, Singing Wood, Blackbirder and Sweep Singer. The internationally" famous stable made its first Derby nomination in 1921.
