August Belmont IV (December 30, 1908 – July 10, 1995) was an American
Investment banker and
thoroughbred racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...
owner.
Biography
He was born on December 30, 1908, to August Belmont III (1882–1919) and Alice W. de Goicouria, he was a fourth generation banker and racehorse owner.
While a nineteen-year-old student he inherited
Belcourt Castle in
Newport, Rhode Island, from his uncle,
Oliver Belmont. However, he did not keep the property and it was transferred to another uncle,
Perry Belmont
Perry Belmont (December 28, 1851 – May 25, 1947) was an American politician and diplomat. He served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1881 to 1888.
Early life and education
Belmont was born on December 28, 1851, in New York C ...
. A graduate of
Harvard University, in 1931 August Belmont IV went to work for the securities firm of Bonbright & Co. and remained in the industry for the rest of his working life. In the latter part of the 1940s he was hired by close friend
Douglas Dillon
Clarence Douglas Dillon (born Clarence Douglass Dillon; August 21, 1909January 10, 2003) was an American diplomat and politician, who served as U.S. Ambassador to France (1953–1957) and as the 57th Secretary of the Treasury (1961–1965). He was ...
to work for
Dillon, Read & Co. Belmont became a partner in the investment banking firm and served as its president from 1962 until his retirement in 1971.
He was first married in 1931 to Elizabeth Lee Saltonstall of
Boston with whom he had four children. They divorced in 1946 and he married Mrs. Louise Vietor Winston.
In 1982, August Belmont IV became chairman of
The Jockey Club.
A resident of
Syosset
Syosset (also known as Little East Woods or Locust Grove) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place in the Oyster Bay (town), New York, Town of Oyster Bay, in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the North Shore (Long Islan ...
on
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, following his retirement from banking August Belmont IV made his home in
Easton, Maryland
Easton is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Talbot County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,945 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population in 2019 of 16,671. The primary ZIP Code is 21601, and the secondary ...
, where he died in 1995 at age eighty-six.
Racing
August Belmont IV followed a family tradition by becoming active as a racehorse owner. However, his involvement was to a far lesser extent than his grandfather,
August Belmont Jr.
August Belmont Jr. (February 18, 1853 – December 10, 1924) was an American financier. He financed the construction of the original New York City subway (1900–1904) and for many years headed the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, which ran ...
, founder of
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905.
It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...
, and his great-grandfather,
August Belmont, for whom the third leg of the
U.S. Triple Crown series, the
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
is named. Among his
stakes race
Glossary of North American horse racing:
Additional glossaries at:
*Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
*Glossary of equestrian terms
This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical terminology and jargon ...
winners he owned alone or in partnerships were Dew Line, Heed, Quadratic, and
Caveat
Caveat may refer to
Latin phrases:
* ''Caveat lector'' ("let the reader beware")
* '' Caveat emptor'' ("let the buyer beware")
* '' Caveat venditor'' ("let the seller beware")
Other:
* CAVEAT, a Canadian lobby group
* ''Caveat'', an album by N ...
with whom he won the 1983
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...
.
References
Further reading
July 13, 1995 ''New York Times'' obituary for August Belmont IV*
ttp://www.gettyimages.com/detail/90607577/Hulton-Archive 1935 photo at Getty Images of August Belmont IV & his first wife
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belmont, August IV
1908 births
1995 deaths
American investment bankers
American racehorse owners and breeders
Belmont family
Harvard University alumni
People from Easton, Maryland
People from Syosset, New York
20th-century American businesspeople
Businesspeople from New York City
American inventors