3 ). ▁ ▁His ▁grand f athers , ▁the ▁tra ction ▁( street car ) ▁magn ate ▁Peter ▁A . ▁B . ▁W id ener ▁( 1 8 3 4 - 1 9 1 5 ) ▁and ▁the ▁oil ▁& ▁steel ▁financi er ▁William ▁L uk ens ▁El kins ▁( 1 8 3 2 - 1 9 0 3 ), ▁were ▁long - time ▁friends ▁and ▁business ▁partners . ▁At ▁age ▁ 2 3 , ▁he ▁lost ▁both ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁brother ▁when ▁the ▁R MS ▁T itan ic ▁s ank ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁on ▁her ▁ma iden ▁voyage ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁His ▁sister ▁married ▁Fitz ▁Eug ene ▁D ixon ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁Hor se ▁racing ▁ ▁Great ly ▁influenced ▁by ▁his ▁uncle ▁Joseph ▁E . ▁W id ener ▁( 1 8 7 1 – 1 9 4 3 ), ▁head ▁of ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Bel mont ▁Park ▁and ▁builder ▁of ▁H iale ah ▁Park ▁rac et rack ▁in ▁Miami , ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁thorough bre d ▁horse ▁racing . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁he ▁began ▁raising ▁thorough bre ds ▁at ▁Er den heim ▁Farm , ▁and ▁at ▁Old ▁Ken ney ▁Farm ▁( now ▁Green ▁G ates ▁Farm ) ▁in ▁Lex ington , ▁Kentucky . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁he ▁sold ▁the ▁farm ▁and ▁later ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁his ▁col t , ▁Ja ip ur , ▁won