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Gallant Fox by Kathleen Jones Gallant Fox was bred and raced by William Woodward, of Belair Stud. In 1930, the Preakness Stakes was the first leg of the Triple Crown, and was run on May 9th that year. It was the first year that any of the American classic were started from "the machine", and early name for the automatic starting gate. Although he had shown only average form at two, a win in the Wood Memorial earned him the right to Preakness favoritism, starting at even odds. He won by 3/4 lengths from a very determined Crack Brigade. The Kentucky Derby came 8 days later, and Gallant Fox was again at near even odds. He won by 2 comfortable lengths this time from Gallant Knight (no relation), while Crack Brigade was relegated to 5th. The field also included the marvelous filly Alcibiades, winner of the Kentucky Oaks, and later to be the dam of champion Menow. The Belmont Stakes was run on June 7th, and Gallant Fox faced only 3 other contestants. But the public was slightly favoring Whichone at 3-to-5 odds, while Gallant Fax was second choice at 8-to-5 odds. He won the Belmont Stakes by three lengths, with Whichone finishing second. By this time, he was commonly known as the "Fox of Belair." After his 3yo campaign, he retired to stud. His best son was OMAHA who won the Triple Crown in 1935. (Gallant Fox remains the only Triple Crown winner to sire another Triple Crown winner.) Among his other famous offspring were Horse of the Year GRANVILLE (won Belmont Stakes, etc.), GANGWAY, CALUMET DICK, WILLING SPIRIT, and many others. He lived to be 27 years old. He has a marker in the main cemetary at Claiborne Farm, but is actually buried on the hill behind Secretariat's barn. Pedigree:
(female family # 4) Born: 1927, at Claiborne Farm, Paris, Kentucky Died: November 13, 1954 (age 27) at Claiborne Farm, and buried there Racing Record:
Stakes Record: at 2:
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