The Edward Lasker Collection

Edward Lasker (1912-1997), a Los Angeles attorney and businessman, was first introduced to the world of the Thoroughbred in 1929. Captivated by their beauty and speed, he bred and raced Thoroughbreds for most of his life. His horses won notable races including the Withers Stakes, the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap, and the 1,000 Guineas. One of his breeding mares was named Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. He was a longtime member of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, a Board member of the California Thoroughbred Foundation, and a Trustee of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation.

After World War II, Lasker began collecting books on the horse and became a passionate bibliophile, assembling one of the great private equine libraries in America. His collection specializes in the history of the Thoroughbred and is particularly significant because of its early European printed books (16th-18th centuries) and its runs of English and American sporting magazines. But, it also includes racing calendars and manuals, stud books, auction catalogs, and books dealing with race courses, jockeys, breeders, and related topics. In 1998, the 7,000 volume Edward Lasker Collection was given by his wife Cynthia to The Huntington.

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