Saturday, September 1, 2012

Genevieve Braun (Woolf) 1914 - 1971


Genevieve Braun was the wife of George Woolf, famous jockey in the 1930's and 1940's.  They had no children. After his death in 1946 she married Mr Cayer. 

Click here for The Iceman of the Saddle a detailed view of George's live from Champions by Setback Athletes Who Overcame Physical Handicaps by DAVID K.BOYNICK, which includes information on Genevieve 







July 18, 1938:

George Woolf with Colleagues

Original caption:After Seabiscuit Won $50,000 Hollywood Handicap. Inglewood, California: Making up this joyous group after Seabiscuit's triumph in the featured $50,000 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park are left to right: Charles S. Howard, owner of Seabiscuit; Mrs. Howard; Mrs. George Woolf; jockey George Woolf, who rode Seabiscuit; screen actress Anita Louise; and trainer Tom Smith.

1946:

Wrangling on the Range #53

Remembering four Horsemen and one Horse

Fifteen hundred people came to say good-bye to Woolf.
Genevieve, widowed at thirty-two, sat in a front pew. Gene Autry
sang "Empty Saddles in the Old Corral," his voice wafting out
over rows and rows of faces, spilling back to the church's opened
doors, down the steps, and filling the street. Pollard was among
them, sobbing for his best friend. "I wonder who has Woolf's
book?" he said later. "Saint Peter, or some other bird?"

     Three years later a wistful bugle cry carried over the empty
track at Santa Anita, and sixteen thousand people gathered by the
paddock to witness the unveiling of the George Woolf memorial
statue. Much of the price had been footed by Please Me's owner,
Tiny Naylor, who sold a horse at auction and donated the proceeds
to the statue fund. The rest had come from the California Turf
Writers Committee and countless contributions from trackers and
fans the world over. Genevieve joined Charles Howard in the
center of the paddock to hear a eulogy delivered by Joe
Hernandez, the man who first called Woolf "Iceman." 
 
The jockeys lined up in silent attention before Woolf's veiled likeness,
their hats over their hearts. The cloth was slid from the statue.
Woolf's handsome face looked out across Santa Anita once again.
He stood just as he always had in life, hand on hip, chin up,
radiating insouciance, the kangaroo-leather saddle over his arm.
His gaze fell to the east end of the paddock and rested on the
life-sized bronze image of Seabiscuit that Howard had placed
there.


1948:





1949, three years after her husband, George Woolf's death: 




Woolf’s wife Genevieve ran the Derby Restaurant for another five years before selling it to Dominic and Lorene Sturniolo in 1952. Murph and Slugger, as they were commonly known, and later their son, Chip, kept alive the Derby’s connection to horse racing for six decades

1951, February 14:


Willie Shoemaker Receiving Memorial Trophy

Original caption:Jockey Willie Shoemaker, voted the Most Outstanding Rider of 1950 by the Southern California Turf Writers, receives the jockey George Woolf Memorial Trophy from Mrs. Genevieve Woolf-Cayer, former wife of of the late George "The Iceman" Woolf.

1953:

Award Presented To Jockey

Original caption:2/12/1953-Arcadia, CA: Beneath the statue of the late Jockey George Woolf, his widow, Mrs. Geneveve Woolf-Cayer presents the Southern CA. Turf Writer's award to jockey Eddie Arcaro as the out standing race rider of 1952. Previous winners and Mrs. Arcaro watch the presentation. (Left to Right): Eddie Arcaro, Mrs. Woolf-Cayer, Gordan Gilsson, a former winner, Mrs. Arcaro, and jockey Johnny Longden, former winner





1957






1958, February 12, George Woolf Memorial Award at Santa Anita race track, 1958



3 images. George Woolf Memorial Award at Santa Anita race track, 12 February 1958. Merlin Volzke; Genevieve Woolf Cayer


1959




1970:


1970 press photo Laffit Pincay Jockey Award Arcadia Cal
Please scroll to bottom of screen to see high-resolution scans of the front and back of this photo.
Offering a 1970 press photo of Laffit Pincay Jockey Award Arcadia Cal. Text on photo includes: Honors For Pinky The Pirate--Mrs. Genevieve Woolf Cayer presents the George Woolf Memorial Award to jockey Laffit (Pinky the Pirate) Pincay Jr. in ceremonies attended by past winners of the award, at Santa Anita track in Arcadia, Calif. today. She is the widow of Woolf, who was fatally injured in a riding accident at Santa Anita in 1946. The award, for being a credit riding, is voted by turf writers annually. Left to right:Pete Moren, Milo Valenzuela, Donald Pierce, Johnny Sellers, Pincay Merlin Volzke and Bill Shoemaker. Pincay is from Panama.. Additional Info: . Photo is dated: 2-21-1970 and measures: 10.25 x 8.


Arcadia Tribune , March 3, 1971:

MRS G Genevieve Dies at 56 Death came suddenly last Saturday to Mrs Genevieve Woolf who has been identified with thoroughbred racing for more than three decades. She was 56 She was the widow of the late George Woolf one of the great jockeys of the  century who was killed in an accident at Santa Anita in 1946.  Cayer was always in- by the Los Angeles Turf Club to participate in monies honoring Woolf whom she married in 1936. The turf club established the annual Woolf award to the ing jockey of the year Mrs Cayer attended these monies just last week at ta Anita Woolf the by Restaurant in 1938 in with William son Mrs Woolf worked in the restaurant during World War II She married Ross Cayer Mar 30 1947 and they ate the restaurant until 1951 when it was leased to to Sturniolo who has since ex- the building and op- it The own the Derby building and land on which it is located Mrs Cayer died some time between 2 and 3 p.m day at her home on Tenth Ave. She was found dead by her husband who had spoken to her at 2 p.m.  She had been in ill health for several years In addition to her husband. Mrs Cayer is survived by a stepson Jack Cayer of ney her mother Mrs Lucy Bennett of Arcadia and a brother John Bennett of Monrovia.  Funeral services will be held at o'clock this morning at the chapel Burial will occur in Live Oak Memorial Park

Research:

History has it he married Genevieve in 1931

I found Genevieve's obituary: She died Feb. 27, 1971 and her funeral was in the chapel of Glasser-Miller-Lamb Mortuary, 500 South First Ave. Arcadia.  Her husband was Ross Eugene Cayer.  Her mother, Lucy BENNETT, was still alive as was her brother, John David BENNETT and his 5 sons.  What I can't figure out is the Bennett name.  I thought her maiden name was BRAUN???  Was her mother a Braun or was she married before.  On the 1930 Census, Genevieve was 16 and her brother was only 4.  Makes we wonder that they might have had different fathers.  I can't find a Lucy Braun on any other information yet.  It is so close and yet I can't connect Genevieve to her parents yet?  One obituary said that she was a native of Marion, Iowa and that she was born in Iowa....  P


The one obit. was in the Star News of Pasadena, California  2 March 1971, and the other was in the Cumberland News, Cumberland, Maryland 2 March 1971. I