Robert T. Davies
Robert T. Davies | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Toronto, Canada |
| Died | March 22, 1916 (aged 66) "Chester Park", Todmorden Mills, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, brewer, racehorse owner and breeder, horse trainer, jockey |
| Known for | Owner and breeder of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses; founder of Dominion Brewery and Thorncliffe Farms; president of the Canadian Horse Breeder's Association; vice-president of the Ontario Jockey Club |
Robert T. Davies (May 19, 1849 – March 22, 1916) was a notable Canadian entrepreneur recognized for his significant involvement as an owner and breeder of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses.
Life and career
Davies was born in Toronto and received his education at Park School followed by Upper Canada College. In the early 1870s, he wed Margaret Matilda Taylor, whose father John Taylor operated paper mills in Todmorden Mills, Ontario. By the turn of the century, the couple had nine children and resided at "Chester Park," their expansive residence located in Todmorden Mills.
Initially, Davies assisted in managing the Don Brewery owned by his brother Thomas before establishing a rival operation, the Dominion Brewery, in 1877 nearby. The brewery flourished, culminating in the sale of shares to investors from London in 1887. Following financial setbacks within his wife's family in 1901, Davies acquired the majority of the Taylor family's Don Valley assets, which included two paper mills and the Don Valley Brick Works. At the time of his passing in 1916, he ranked among Toronto’s wealthiest citizens.
Horse racing
Davies cultivated an early enthusiasm for horse racing, participating as a jockey in the Queen's Plate at just sixteen years old. He later shifted focus to training and breeding racehorses; notably, his horse Floss secured victory in the 1871 Queen's Plate, while a horse he bred named Fearnaught won the event in 1872. As of 2008, Davies uniquely holds the distinction of having ridden in, owned, trained, and bred winners of the Queen's Plate.
Among his acquisitions was Southern Maid, purchased from Kentucky breeder John E. Madden. This filly, sired by Plaudit—the 1898 Kentucky Derby champion—earned the title of American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 1913 and subsequently produced South Shore, who won the King's Plate in 1922.
In 1888, Davies founded Thorncliffe Farms on land he obtained from his father-in-law in the Don Valley area. Under the banner of Thorncliffe Stable, he competed successfully in both Thoroughbred flat racing and harness racing disciplines.
He held leadership roles as president of the Canadian Horse Breeder's Association and as vice-president of the Ontario Jockey Club from 1895 to 1904. During his tenure, he advocated for removing restrictions that barred out-of-province horses from participating in the King's Plate; however, these efforts did not succeed.
Death and legacy
Davies passed away at his home "Chester Park" in 1916 and was interred at Toronto’s Mount Pleasant Cemetery. In recognition of his contributions to horse racing, he was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame under the Builders category in 2001. Following his death, Thorncliffe Farms was sold to investors from Baltimore who developed Thorncliffe Park Raceway on the property.
His Dominion Brewery complex located at Queen Street East and Sumach Street continued operations until 1936. The site underwent renovations between 1987 and 1990 and now functions as Dominion Square—a commercial office complex housing firms such as Vistek. Nearby, the former Dominion Hotel has been transformed into a pub known as Dominion on Queen.