Sigmund Sommer (June 19, 1916 – April 30, 1979) was a

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

–based building contractor, philanthropist, and racehorse owner of

Sham Sham may refer to: Arabic use * Al-Sham or Shām (شام), the Arabic term for the Greater Syria region, known in English as the Levant or the eastern Mediterranean, which includes the modern countries of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Cyprus ...

, the horse that placed second to

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the ninth winn ...

in two legs of the 1973 U.S. Triple Crown series. At the time of Sommer's death at 62 in 1979, his estate was valued at almost $1 billion.

Biography

Sigmund Sommer came from a family that had dealt in real estate since 1885. He built up his real estate business in the 1930s and 1940s by building small apartment buildings in Brooklyn and single family homes in northern New Jersey. By the 1970s, Sommer had expanded his real estate holdings to include shopping malls and commercial and residential properties in and around the metropolitan New York City area. These properties included 45 East 66th Street.

Thoroughbred racehorse owner

In the 1960s, Sommer purchased his first race horse, and along with his wife, Viola, oversaw one of the most successful thoroughbred racing stables through the 70s. The stable was among the leading money earners for ten consecutive years, earning over $1.5 million in 1971, a record, and beating that amount in 1972. At the time the Sommers owned 40 horses who ran under the stable's green and gold colors. With U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Frank "Pancho" Martin, Sommer enjoyed considerable success that included winning the Display Handicap five times (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978).

Horse racing

Sham, the Sommer stable’s most famous horse, purchased from

Claiborne Farm Claiborne Farm is a thoroughbred horse breeding operation near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910 by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Stud in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since. ...

after the death of Arthur B. Hancock, Jr. in 1972, and trained by Pancho Martin, holds the unofficial record for the second-fastest time in the Kentucky Derby when he placed second to Secretariat, clocking in unofficially in 1:59 4/5. In 1982, Viola Sommer won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Owner. Sommer, who frequented the racetracks daily, died of a heart attack while at the

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack within ...

. He was survived by his wife Viola Sommer and three children: Jack Sommer, Susan Sommer Schweitzman, and Dr. Barbara Sommer Fisher.

References

External links

Sham: In the Shadow of a Superhorse
Includes an image of Sigmund Sommer.
Sham Rocks

Sham: Great Was Second Best
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sommer, Sigmund 1916 births 1979 deaths Businesspeople from Brooklyn American racehorse owners and breeders Eclipse Award winners American businesspeople in real estate 20th-century American businesspeople