The Foxes of Belair

Calumet, Claiborne, King Ranch—these iconic Thoroughbred breeders are revered by industry professionals and racing fans around the world. As campaigners of many of the twentieth century's top racehorses, these breeders' prestige has been confirmed by decades of competition in the Triple Crown, the most esteemed series in American Thoroughbred racing. Despite their substantial legacies, their success is measured against the benchmark set by one of racing's earliest dynasties, the historic Belair Stud.

The story of this legendary operation begins with William Woodward's childhood trips to the racetrack, which inspired dreams of breeding a champion or two of his own. While working for the American ambassador to the United Kingdom, Woodward frequented English racetracks, rekindling his desire to breed and own champion Thoroughbreds. Woodward turned those dreams into reality, building Belair Stud on his family's Maryland estate, launching what would become the preeminent Thoroughbred breeding and racing empire in America, and chasing racing's biggest prizes in both the United States and England.

The defining moment for Belair came when Woodward bred the imported stallion Sir Gallahad III to his mare Marguerite. Their colt, Gallant Fox, became the second horse in history to win the Preakness Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, and the Belmont Stakes in the same year, a feat known as winning the Triple Crown. In 1935, Gallant Fox's son, Omaha, duplicated his sire's trio of victories, a sweep that simultaneously cemented the farm's legacy and established the Triple Crown as the gold standard for three-year-olds.

In The Foxes of Belair: Gallant Fox, Omaha, and the Quest for the Triple Crown, Jennifer S. Kelly examines the racing legacies of Gallant Fox and Omaha and how Woodward's service to racing during the twentieth century forever changed the American Thoroughbred industry.