2835 Belair Drive, Bowie, MD
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The history of Belair is deeply intertwined with Thoroughbred racing all the way back to the days of Colonial America. Samuel Ogle and his brother-in-law, Benjamin Tasker Jr., imported some of the 18th century’s most noted stock – Spark, Queen Mab and Selima – to Belair, with the intention of breeding a better, faster, stronger AMERICAN Thoroughbred. That legacy laid the groundwork for the 20th century; their mare, Selima, still lives in history and in the bloodlines of many of today’s famous racehorses.

The Stable at Belair, built by noted American horseman William Woodward in 1907, was part of the 20th century’s famous “Belair Stud Stable,” one of the country’s premier stables from the 1920s through the 1950s. It was home to two Triple Crown winners, Gallant Fox (1930) and his son, Omaha (1935). Gallant Fox remains today the only Triple Crown winner to have sired a Triple Crown winner. Many other notable 20th-century Thoroughbreds, including the incomparable Nashua, called the Belair Stud Stable their home base. In 1955, Belair’s Nashua was Horse of the Year. Other champions, including Johnstown, Fighting Fox, and Vagrancy also called Belair home.

Today, the Belair Stable Museum houses memorabilia related to Thoroughbred racing, the Belair stock and bloodlines, life at Belair Farm (for both equines and humans), and the Bowie Race Track. A 1923 stable master’s apartment offers a glimpse of life on the farm that belonged to James Brady, Belair’s first stable master.

The Belair Stable Museum is located just a block from Belair Mansion. Admission is free; donations are welcomed. Tours for groups of 10 or more persons are available by appointment. Visit the website for more info.

Top photo: Stalls in the Belair Stable Museum. Inset photo: Gallant Fox

Photos courtesy of Belair Stable Museum unless otherwise noted.