Connections and Stats: 1930
Awards and Stud Career: Gallant Fox
Historic Father and Son Triplers
"Sunny" James Fitzsimmons may have later missed the boat with Seabiscuit, but he got everything right with patience where Gallant Fox and his chestnut son, Omaha, were concerned. Both Belair Stud owned colts won the Triple Crown championship under Sunny Jim's handling, the only father and son to do so. Gallant Fox triumphed in 1930, and Omaha won in 1935.
A big strapping bay at age three, Gallant Fox topped 1,200 pounds and easily stood at 16.1 hands. Like his champion son, Gallant Fox was relatively unmentioned at two years of age.
Only the second horse to achieve the triple triumph, Gallant Fox turned the trick 11 years after Sir Barton won in 1919, before the championship was actually referred to as the Triple Crown.
Early Triple Crown Schedules
The first three triplers won the traditional three races, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, but not necessarily in that order, or at the well known distances of today, and not all from starting gates.
Entering the Preakness on May 9th, Gallant Fox helped initiate the automatic starting gate, dubbed "the machine", in the American classic races. The Fitzsimmons trained bay was a slight favorite in the Preakness by virtue of his four length win in the Wood Memorial, that race being a general forecaster of a winner in the making.
Preakness First
Crack Brigade was Gallant Fox's chief competitor. He proved a worthy foe, but Gallant Fox's superior physic wore down his rivals. Soon to be nicknamed the "Fox of Belair", Gallant Fox prevailed in the Preakness stretch by 3/4 of a length over Crack Brigade.
Sande "Unretires"
Jockey Earl Sande, who had some rides on Sir Barton, but not in the Sir's classic 1919 victories, came out of retirement to win on Gallant Fox. Sande had gained some notoriety by begging off Sir Barton in 1920, an hour before his mount's match race with the excellent three-year-old, Man o' War.
There was no hesitation on the part of horse or jockey in Gallant Fox's triple triumph. After his Preakness win, Gallant Fox shipped to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby scheduled eight days later. An accomplished filly, Alcibiades, winner of the Kentucky Oaks, was among the contenders. Crack Brigade again challenged the Fox, along with Gallant Knight.
Pretenders Can't Stop the Fox
They were all pretenders. Gallant Fox powered through the field, winning by two strong lengths over Gallant Knight.
On June 7th, the United States racing world was treated to its second Triple Crown champion. Gallant Fox ran down three rivals, including Whichone, who challenged Seabiscuit in several later races. The Fox of Belair conquered the Belmont Stakes going away by three lengths.
Gallant Fox finished his second and final campaign with nine wins from 10 starts.
