Alec Wildenstein loses battle with cancer at 67

Leading owner and breeder Alec Wildenstein lost his long-fought battle with

prostate cancer and passed away Sunday evening. He was 67. Wildenstein, the

fourth generation of a renowned family of art dealers, had been involved in the

family breeding and racing operation since his youth and took over the

management of the stable upon the death of his father Daniel in 2001.

The family's long association with racing dates back to 1922, when Georges

Wildenstein, Alec's grandfather, purchased his first yearlings and registered

the blue, with light-blue cap, silks. They were first carried to classic success

when Kant won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains in 1935. The family went to

live in New York during World War II, and there were no Wildenstein runners on

French racecourses between 1941 and 1947. Daniel took over the operation in

1947, and Beau Prince, winner of the 1954 Grand Criterium, was his first major

runner. The colt ran second, as a three-year-old, to the great champion *Ribot

in the 1955 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Since then it has been a permanent flow

of top-class runners such as Faraway Son, Allez France (who was named by Alec),

Flying Water and Pawneese.

Recent additions to the honor roll include Sagace (Fr), Aquarelliste, and

Peintre Celebre. The latter finally claimed a first Prix du Jockey-Club (Fr-G1)

for the family in 1997.

"Alec Wildenstein was a wonderful person to be around and, over the years, we

developed a friendship which went far beyond the owner-trainer relationship,"

long-time trainer Elie Lellouche said. "Like his father, he was an exceptional

man. He was very straightforward and it was a real pleasure to work for him. I

trained about 60 horses for him and I don't yet know what will happen. I am very

sad, and he will be sadly missed."

Plans for the stable's future remain uncertain, but it is widely hoped that

Alec's children and brother Guy will maintain the family's racing tradition.

Following the passing of Daniel Wildenstein in 2001, Alec Wildenstein took

control of the racing stable and renamed it Wildenstein Stables. It was a

near-seamless transition, highlighted in 2002 by the victories of Aquarelliste

in the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) and Prix Foy (Fr-G2) and Bright Sky (Ire) in the Prix

de Diane (Fr-G1) and Prix de l'Opera (Fr-G1). Both were named French champions

that season.

In 2003, the stable was represented by Westerner, winner of France's two

major events for stayers, the Prix Royal Oak (Fr-G1) and the Prix du Cadran

(Fr-G1). He doubled up in those races the following season. Twice named European

champion, Westerner remained in training through 2005, when he annexed the

prestigious Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-G1) and was runner-up in the Prix de l'Arc de

Triomphe (Fr-G1).

Vallee Enchantee, a daughter of Wildenstein's Arc winner Peintre Celebre,

capped a successful 2003 campaign by taking the Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1). The

stable managed a pair of group wins in 2006, courtesy of Grand Prix de Chantilly

(Fr-G2) hero Policy Maker and Vendangeur, the Prix du Chaudenay (Fr-G2)victor.

Loup Breton (Anabaa) took the Prix Daphnis (Fr-G3) last season, while Argentina

(Ire) (Sadler's Wells) was runner-up in the Diana H. (G1) and in the Cardinal H.

(G3).

Patrick Biancone had a long and successful association with the Wildenstein

family, conditioning All Along (Fr) and Sagace to back-to-back wins in the

Arc in 1983 and 1984. He reflected on Wildenstein's passing.

"It's a very sad day," Biancone said. "For me, this marks the loss of a great

friend. We had a lovely cooperation together during the time that I worked for

(the Wildenstein family), and Alec was very involved in all of the success they

had. He was a great man for racing, a very good horseman, and he will be

missed."