Belair Stable
In 1747 Maryland's Provincial Governor Samuel Ogle (1692-1752) brought to Belair the first documented breeding pair of thoroughbred horses, Spark and Queen Mab. Hailed as the Cradle of American Thoroughbred Racing, Belair's legacy continued with Ogle's brother-in-law, Colonel Benjamin Tasker, Jr. (1720-1760), importer of Othello and Selima, two of the most noted horses of colonial turf.
During the ownership of William Woodward (1876-1953), the Belair stud flourished again. From the first victory at the track in 1909, Woodward established the Belair name as preeminent in the racing field. Gallant Fox all three of the Triple Crown races in 1930, only the second horse ever to do so. His son, Omaha, would follow suit in 1935. Nashua, Horse of the Year in 1955, was the last great Belair racehorse.
This stable, built in 1907, housed the thoroughbreds, as well as the carriage and riding horses, and contained stalls, tack rooms, a carriage house, and the apartment for the stable master. It now serves as part of the City of Bowie Museums System.
Marker is at the intersection of Belair Drive and Tulip Grove Drive, on the left when traveling south on Belair Drive.
Courtesy hmdb.org
