Gallant Fox was the second horse to win the U.S Triple Crown; he accomplished this in 1930 as a three-year old. Gallant Fox was a large bay stallion with a white blaze. He was sired by French bred stallion Sir Gallahad III and dam Marguerite. Gallant Fox was foaled at Bull Hancock’s Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. His owner was William Woodward Sr., the owner of Belair Stud.
Gallant Fox was only raced from 1929-1930, and won eleven out of the seventeen races he started in. His trainer was future Hall of Famer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, who conditioned him using relays because no other horse could match him through the whole workout. He made his first start on June 24, 1929, at Aqueduct and placed third. And that year he won twice, winning the Flash Stakes and Cowdin Stakes, but placed third at the Belmont Futurity Stakes.
He started favorite for the 1930 Preakness Stakes, which at the time came first. He was ridden by Earl Sande who came out of retirement to become Gallant Fox’s regular jockey. He took the lead early and won by ¾ a length. In the Kentucky Derby which even through the light drizzle about 50,000 people showed, Gallant Fox also started as favorite. This race he broke slowly but took the lead on the backstretch before he easily won by two lengths. His time was 2:07.6 on the muddy track. Then shortly after he easily won the Belmont Stakes to complete his Triple Crown win.
By the end of June he won the Dwyer Stakes at the odds 1/10, but lacked opposition so the win was hollow. Then in the Arlington Classic he met more of a challenge but still won by a neck.
After the 1930 racing season Gallant Fox retired to stud and had a 22 year breeding career. During his breeding career he sired the 1935 Triple Crown Winner Omaha. This made him the first U.S. Triple Crown winner to sire a second generation Triple Crown champion.
Gallant Fox died on November 13, 1953. He was buried at Claiborne Farm. In 1957 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Also in the Blood-Horse magazine he was ranked #28 on their ranking of the top 100 US thoroughbred champions of the 20th century.