Sigmund Sommer

Sigmund Sommer (June 19, 1916 – April 30, 1979) was a Brooklyn, New York building contractor, philanthropist, and racehorse owner of Sham, the horse that placed second to Secretariat in two legs of the 1973 U.S. Triple Crown series.[1] At the time of Sommer's death at 62 in 1979, his estate was valued at almost $1 billion.[2]

Sigmund Sommer
BornJune 19, 1916
Brooklyn, New York, US
DiedApril 30, 1979(1979-04-30) (aged 62)
Ozone Park, Queens, New York, US
OccupationReal estate developer, building contractor, philanthropist, racehorse owner
Known forSham
Spouse(s)Viola Landsberg (1921–2009)
Children3

Biography

Sigmund Sommer came from a family that had dealt in real estate since 1885.[3] He built up his real estate business in the 1930s and 40s by building small apartment buildings in Brooklyn and single family homes in northern New Jersey.[4] 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.[5]

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,[6] earning over $1.5 million in 1971, a record, and beating that amount in 1972.[7] 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).

Sham

Sham, the Sommer's stable most famous horse, purchased from Claiborne Farm after the death of Arthur B. Hancock, Jr. in 1972,[8] 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.[9] Mr. Sommer, who frequented the race tracks daily, died of a heart attack while at the Aqueduct Race Track.[10] He was survived by Viola Sommer, his wife, and three children: Jack Sommer, Susan Sommer Schweitzman, and Dr. Barbara Sommer Fisher.

References
  1. Al Harvin (May 1, 1979). "SIGMUND SOMMER, 62, REAL ESTATE DEALER; Owner of High-Rise Apartments and Race Horses Stricken at Aqueduct Track". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  2. Selwyn Raab (January 20, 1990). "In a Blaze of Lawsuits and Appeals, Heirs Battle Judge and Ex-Lawyers". The New York Times. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  3. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2000/Aug-13-Sun-2000/news/14143205.html
  4. Raab, Selwyn (January 20, 1990). "In a Blaze of Lawsuits and Appeals, Heirs Battle Judge and Ex-Lawyers". The New York Times.
  5. Raab, Selwyn (January 20, 1990). "In a Blaze of Lawsuits and Appeals, Heirs Battle Judge and Ex-Lawyers". The New York Times.
  6. "Paid Notice: Deaths SOMMER, VIOLA SOMMER". The New York Times. October 6, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  7. Knack, William. Secretariat: The Making of a Champion, De Capo Press, 2002. p 217.
  8. Callahan, Tom (May 2, 1993). "Left in Shambles : Everyone Remembers Secretariat's Great 1973, but What About That Horse He Kept Beating?". Los Angeles Times.
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2012-07-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. Raab, Selwyn (January 20, 1990). "In a Blaze of Lawsuits and Appeals, Heirs Battle Judge and Ex-Lawyers". The New York Times.
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