Jacques Wertheimer
Jacques Guy Wertheimer was a prominent French businessman who inherited and ran the renowned House of Chanel perfume company.
Early life
Wertheimer was born at Les Forgettes villa in Deauville, to a Jewish family, the son of Germaine Revel and businessman Pierre Wertheimer who co-founded the Chanel perfume business in 1924.Career
Jacques Wertheimer inherited a thoroughbred horse racing operation which he developed into one of the leading stables in France. Alec Head trained for the family until his retirement in 1984 but for a number of years continued to act as their bloodstock advisor. Head's daughter Criquette took over as trainer and continued to have great success.In the 1970s, Jacques Wertheimer boarded his Kentucky-based bloodstock at Hagyard Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Among his broodmares were the French classic winners Dancing Maid, Gold [River (horse)|Gold River] and Pistol Packer. All three are buried at Hagyard Farm.
Selected Group One race wins:
- Coronation Stakes : Gold Splash
- Critérium de Saint-Cloud : Poliglote
- Poule d'Essai des Poulains : Green Dancer, Red Lord, Green Tune
- Poule d'Essai des Pouliches: Ivanjica, Dancing Maid
- Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe : Ivanjica, Gold River
- Prix de l'Opéra : Mona Stella, Athyka
- Prix de Diane : Reine de Saba
- Prix d'Ispahan : Carwhite, Green Tune
- Prix du Jockey Club : Val de l'Orne
- Prix Marcel Boussac : Gold Splash
- Prix Royal-Oak : Gold River, Agent Double
- Prix Saint-Alary : Reine de Saba, Rivière d'Or
- Prix Vermeille : Ivanjica, Dancing Maid
Personal life and death
On 26 March 1947, Wertheimer married Eliane Fischer, the daughter of an architect. They had two sons, Alain and Gérard. The marriage was short-lived, and after separating, their divorce decree was issued on 11 September 1952.He died on 6 February 1996 in Paris, upon which his business empire was taken over by his two sons.