August Belmont Jr. (1853-1924)

He was born in New York City. He was educated at St. Mark's School, Massachusetts, and Harvard. Returning to New York, he succeeded his father as head of August Belmont & Co., financiers. He is remembered for financing the Cape Cod Canal and the first line of what is now the New York City Subway on which he kept the world's only purpose-built private subway carriage, Mineola, which was the same name he gave to his yacht. He volunteered for service during World War I and was placed in charge of procuring supplies from Spain for the American Expeditionary Force. He kept one of the most celebrated stables of thoroughbred racehorses. He was the first President of The Jockey Club, Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission and a founding member of the National Steeplechase Association. In 1905, he opened Belmont Park racecourse where the Belmont Stakes (inaugurated by his father in 1867) are run. At Blemton Manor on Long Island he bred the country's finest Fox Terriers and was President of the American Kennel Club. He kept a townhouse in New York, a farm in Kentucky and inherited By-the-Sea. He was married twice and had three sons.