Hall of Fame

 



william m. wright

Year of Birth: 
1851
Immortal: 
Yes
OwnerBreeder: 
Yes
Executive Official: 
Yes
Owner: 
Yes
Executive: 
Yes
Elected as Immortal: 
1976
Year of Death: 
1931
Biography: 

Born in 1851, William Wright was the master of Calumet Farm, first near Chicago and later at Lexington, Kentucky, where he bred and owned such champions as Peter Manning and Calumet Butler. He aided his brother-in-law Harry Reno in establishing the Hambletonian Stakes and, as one of its major promoters, helped the race to develop a firm foundation. Wright was president of The Hambletonian Society for several years. A cousin of Wilbur and Orville Wright, he had made a fortune of over $60 million from several prosperous businesses, including the Calumet Baking Powder Co. He used that money to build his fine stable and breeding farm. William Wright died in 1931 at Calumet Farm in Lexington.

Published in the Harness Racing Museum's 1994 book, The Immortals