view raw text
- 0 — — Calumet Possesses Fine Leadership Mrs.GeneMarkey Supervises Both Racing Stable and Farm Vast Operation Has Become Way of Life for Gracious Widow of Warren Wright By JOE IIIRSCH No operation could enjoy the fantastic success which has made Calumet Farm the greatest name in modern American racing unless there was unusually strong leadership from the top. Since the death of Warren Wright, that leadership has come from the gracious and knowledgable Mrs. Gene Markey, who qualifies in every respect for that much-abused accolade — a pillar of the turf. There is a tendency to overlook Mrs. Markeys contributions, toward Calumets continued eminence in the fields of racing and breeding. But with the confidence born . of her long association with the sport, she personally supervises the schedule of mat-ings which have produced; champion after champion in the stables famed devils-red-and-blue silks, arranges for the trading of seasons with outside stallions so that new crosses may bring vigor to her stud, sells those race horses and mares which she feels are out of place in the overall picture, of Calumet, and, of course, is the final arbiter in major decisions affecting both the farm and the racing stock. Saw Reigh Counts Derby Run The first horse race Mrs. Markey can remember seeing was Reigh Counts Derby at Churchill Downs in 1928. At that time she ■was just becoming interested in the sport. Shortly after, in 1931, Warren Wright inherited Calumet upon the death of his father, William Monroe Wright, who loved harness racing and who had been extremely successful in raising and racing trotters. Warren Wright had little interest in stand-ardbreds, decided to sell his fathers trotters and enter the thoroughbred sport from . scratch. With his wife at his side and follow- ► ing his activities intently, Wright built up a great stud in a remarkably short time. Placing his emphasis on the acquisition of top broodmares, Wright never hesitated to open his checkbook when good bloodstock was available. His close, friend and business associate, John Hertz, was instrumental In his purchasing the Preakness winner, Nellie Morse, for ,100 from cartoonist Bud Fisher, and this hardy daughter of. Luke McLuke— La Venganza produced Nellie Flag, the first homebred Calumet stakes winner, and in turn the dam of another stakes winner, Mar-Kell. Mar-Kell produced, among others, Mark-Ye-Well, the young .stallion that Calumetj hopes will eventually succeed Bull Lea, so you can see what this one line alone meant to the Wrights. , Whirlaway Started March George Widener, chairman of The Jockey Club, once estimated that it requires about 20 years to establish a successful stud. Warren Wright cut that figure in half. In. 1941, some 10 years after he entered the thoroughbred sport, he was the countrys leading money-winning" owner, with 75,091, and that same year he was countrys leading money-winning breeder with 28,211. Since 1941, Calumet lias been the leading, stable in money won 10 times and-the leading breeder in monies won 13 times, including the last 11 consecutive years! In addition to the impressive statistics listed above, Calumet has won the Kentucky Derbys with homebred horses — Whirlaway 1941. .Pensive 1944, Citation 1948. Ponder 1949. Hill Gail 1952. and Iron Liege 1957. Two of its horses were Triple Crown winners Whirlaway and Citation, and the stable has included the Horse of the "Year five times Whirl--away twice, Twilight Tear, Armed and Citation. When Warren Wright died .in December of 1950, his widow courageously decided to * - SEE ANOTH ER CALUMET WIN — Mrs. Gene Markey, owner of Tim Tam and trainer H. A. Jimmy Jones. ft £ £ — — carry on and announced: "Im going to keep the stable together. I feel that Warren would want it that way." She fully realized the tremendous task she was undertaking, the decisions she must constantly make and the increasing financial obligations for which she was now responsible — it costs almost 00,000 a year to operate both the stable and the farm — but she has come to love racing as her late husband did. For her it was more than just an avocation; it was a way of life. So successfully has Mrs. Markey she married Admiral Gene Markey in 1952 assumed command of the vast Calumet operation that she has been honored by many of the turfs most important organizations. In 1954, for instance, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders Association awarded her its coveted ladies sportsmanship plaque, and just a few months ago she was similarly cited by the Florida Turf Writers As sociation. But. for Mrs. Markey, one of the turfs great ladies, .none of these citations, no matter how gratifying. personally, can compare with the thrill of leading a homebred into the winners circle- after the running of the Kentucky Derby. For her, the sport is still the thing.
