New Jersey Farm Was a Racing Power for Generations
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Brookdale Memories New Jersey farm was a racing power for generations By Cindy Deubler avid Dunham Withers was attracted to the fertile river-fed farmland of Lincroft, N.J., and created DBrookdale Farm in the 1870s. Philanthropist Geraldine TION C Thompson saw her home as one that should be shared with COLLE M TE S others, and in the late 1960s bequeathed a substantial portion of what was once one of the greatest farms in North America OUTH COUNTY PARK SY OUTH COUNTY PARK M to Monmouth County to be used as a park. MON 22 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred SEPTEMBER 2013 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred SEPTEMBER 2013 23 TION C COLLE M TE S OUTH COUNTY PARK SY OUTH COUNTY PARK M MON With no horse in sight (other than the nation’s best stallions, boasted the finest America’s leading turfmen Withers’ land purchases from 1872 to the Withers-bred Golden Rod. The stable February 1896 – he was only 59 – it came occasional riding horse), Thompson Park – bloodlines in its broodmare band, and 1888 expanded the farm to 838 acres, and included a juvenile colt Thompson named as a huge blow to the industry. The stable the former Brookdale Farm – stands as a provided a superb training facility utilized D.D. Withers created it, Colonel William he oversaw every detail, including layout The Sage, in honor of Brookdale’s creator. was taken over by his sons, Lewis S. and glorious link to New Jersey’s golden age in by industry giants named Withers, Keene P. Thompson had great plans for it, legend- and construction. By the late 1870s, he had The Sage won that year’s Autumn Maiden William P. Thompson Jr. Thoroughbred racing history. and Whitney. At the farm’s height, more ary Hall of Fame horseman James G. Rowe a growing broodmare band, stallions, and Stakes at Sheepshead Bay in New York. Sr. utilized it, and Harry Payne Whitney Located less than a dozen miles from than 100 employees kept things running training barns filled with homebreds who Well-liked and well-regarded as a great preserved it. For more than a half century, Rowe in charge the Jersey Shore, and a short trip to Mon- smoothly, and hundreds of horses gal- raced in his solid black silks. sportsman, Thompson was a charter mem- Brookdale Farm was the base of operation at turn of the century mouth Park, Thompson Park covers 667 loped over the fertile soil. Withers’ stable was still growing when ber of The Jockey Club when it was for some of the most powerful stables in acres and serves as the headquarters for A century ago, Harry Payne Whitney’s he died at 71 on Feb. 18, 1892. Eleven established in 1894, and was one of its Rowe ran a successful stable for the the world. the Monmouth County Park System. homebred chestnut yearling filly Regret months later, it was reported that the farm seven appointed stewards. Equaling his Thompsons, sending out Brookdale home- “I didn’t embark in breeding – I drifted Open free to the public every day of the was learning her early lessons at her place had been sold to Thompson. enthusiasm for his racing stable was the bred L’Alouette to win the Futurity Stakes into it,” Withers was quoted years after year, the beautifully maintained grounds of birth, and soon became a legend. Her First making his fortune as an execu- stable’s success – in less than two years, he in 1897, the richest race for juveniles in the establishing Brookdale Breeding and Stock offer places to picnic or hike, community Kentucky Derby win came just two years tive with Standard Oil, and later becoming had campaigned a top-class filly named country. But the Thompsons soon turned Farm. The shipping magnate initially want- pottery and craft classes, playgrounds for after Whitney’s Brookdale-foaled and president of the National Lead Company, *One I Love, winner of four stakes as a their attentions to other interests, and ed a weekend and summer retreat in close children, off-leash exercise areas for dogs. -raised Buskin and Prince Eugene won Thompson was a newcomer to the sport, 2-year-old in 1895 (defeating, among oth- faded from the racing scene. proximity to New York City to expand Wildlife abounds, mature trees line walk- the 1913 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, but jumped in full tilt, not only purchas- ers, Ben Brush), as well as Requital, whom Brookdale had become Rowe’s home, his Thor oughbred racing stable. What he ing paths. It’s a paradise for those who respectively. The training barn still stands, ing the property, but also a number of the he purchased following the juvenile colt’s and in 1899 he was training a Brookdale- created was an establishment with “a repu- love the outdoors, in an area fast being the 1-mile training track is now a tree Withers estate’s horses. rich Futurity victory in 1895. bred gelding he owned outright. When tation second to none anywhere in the engulfed by development. shaded trail, and the spirits of the greats The first string to carry Thompson’s Thompson had grand plans for his Chacornac was entered in that year’s country,” noted racing historians in the The outline remains of once enor- are felt at every turn. red and green colors debuted in 1894 and stable, and hired as his trainer James Futurity, he caught the attention of one of 1898 tome The American Turf. mous Brookdale Farm, which stood the Thompson got his first winner in May with Rowe. When Thompson died suddenly in the sports greatest breeders and owners, 24 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred SEPTEMBER 2013 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred SEPTEMBER 2013 25 James R. Keene, who paid Rowe $25,000 two days before the race to take over own- ership. Remaining with Rowe, Chacornac became the third Brookdale-bred Futurity David D. Withers – Racing’s Mr. Withers’ Anger winner in five years. An account in the Thursday, Keene took out a lease on the Brookdale Renaissance Man Nov. 13, 1890, Advance and property and for the next decade sent Democrat, revealed the passion his Castleton Stud youngsters to Rowe avid Dunham Withers was born reported on June 30, 1890: “It is simply and competitive nature of the to train, including Hall of Fame legends in New York City, made a fortune impossible to tell in print what this grand generally “staid” Withers: in cotton in New Orleans, spent work of Mr. Withers, the crowning Colin, Sysonby and Maskette. D D.D. Withers, the well-known time in Paris during the Civil War, then effort of his career as a racing man, is Rowe’s tenure with Keene ended with breeder and owner of Thoroughbreds, returned to his native city. But it was to like. Massively magnificent, superbly the disbandment of the stable a few years is one of the most imperturbable men Brookdale Farm in nearby Lincroft, N.J., appointed in every way, imposing in after Colin’s retirement in 1908. By that who frequent a race track. He never where he retreated and devoted his time each detail . The architectural and time another legendary racing family took AN sends any money into the ring and only an interest in Brookdale. to his love and passion of Thoroughbred engineering triumphs are his alone, for he SM ORT P races his horses for glory. At the same racing. planned every detail after years of study time he is very much chagrined when ORK S Y Once “engaged in the business, he as to the needs not only of racegoers, but Whitney Stable grows W E anything goes wrong, but he was never continued in it with that enthusiasm and of horse owners.” When criticism of the N HE T known to vent his disappointment upon at Brookdale unreserved devotion that characterized all size of the plant was expressed, Withers anyone in his employ until the other day Brookdale Farm was home to the his proceedings as a sportsman,” noted was quoted as saying, “But it was not when Jockey Simms got a severe raking Thompsons, but they had no need for The American Turf chroniclers in the late built for today, but for all time.” over from the Sage of Brookdale. It much of the vast property, which was per- 1890s. Less than two years later, Withers had appears that Mr. Withers had a filly fectly appointed for use as a breeding and died, and a number of events forced the Withers was one of the pillars of entered in a two-year-old stake on one training establishment. The Thompsons track’s closure by 1894. The property a sport at a time when licensing and of the last days of the Morris Park leased the barns and land to a number was sold in 1897 and the “enormous regulations scarcely existed. His obituary meeting. He had come all the way that of top stables – the first notable residents cantilever grandstand of iron” was torn in the New York Herald noted: “He made morning from Long Branch to see being Keene’s runners. down. a study of racing law, and was the best the youngster’s performance. With a William Collins Whitney became racing authority in America. He had a Theories and idiosyncrasies Dunboyne great criticism in the powerful field glass he watched the start engrossed in Thoroughbred breeding in wonderfully retentive memory, and was for Maryland press. and although his representative was 1897, and by 1902 had established a large a much deeper student than even his led to breeding success owner/breeder/ “One cannot tell when not especially favored she got off well broodmare band – with a number of mares friends thought he was.” Before taking By many accounts, Withers was trainer William Jennings the colors (all black) of Mr.