William C. Whitney
Attorney, U.S. Navy Secretary, N.Y. Racing Association President
William Collins (W.C.) Whitney was born in Conway, MA, in 1841 and was a descendent of the original Plymouth Colony founders. He attended Williston Seminary School and then graduated from Yale University in 1863, and from there completed his law degree at Harvard and was admitted to the Bar in 1864.
William married Flora Payne on October 13, 1869, and together they had five children. William became active in New York politics, helping organize the Young Men’s Democratic Club in 1871 and was an aggressive opponent of the Tweed Ring,
In 1872, he was made inspector of schools, but the same year met defeat in the election for district attorney of New York. From 1875 to 1882 he was corporation counsel of New York. In 1883 William fought for the Broadway Railroad Company franchise with Jacob Sharp and Thomas Fortune Ryan. Sharp initially won the franchise by means of bribery, but in December 1884 Ryan formed an alliance with William. They influenced public opinion, instituting court action, and defeated Sharp. The Ryan syndicate finally received the franchise in 1886.
William became United States Secretary of the Navy during President Cleveland's first administration (1885–1889). He did a great deal to modernize the Navy by investing in modern steel ships and armaments. Whitney joined Charles T. Barney, and others, in forming the New York Loan & Improvement Company in 1890.
He was also a major investor in thoroughbred horse racing.
William was known for hiring the best trainers, buying the best horses, and engaging the services of the best jockey of the day. From 1892 until 1900, Saratoga was under the control of the corrupt bookmaker Gottfried Walbaum. Walbaum had nearly driven the track to ruin. In 1900 Whitney led a group of investors that acquired Saratoga Racetrack from Walbaum with the hope for a renewal to the glory days of racing. He became President of the Racing Association in 1901. Whitney's group kept only 5 percent of the profits and re-invested the rest into the track. The group constructed new stands that could seat 6,000 the Oklahoma Track, stables for owners and spared no expense on improvements. The Travers Stakes was run for the first time in five years. They brought the track back from the brink of ruin.
Essentially, because of William Collins Whitney, the Track was re-born. William died soon after, on February 2, 1904, at the age of 62 from a ruptured appendix. He was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx.