Central Ohio’s connection to the Kentucky Derby
GALLOWAY, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus may be far from the twin spires of Churchill Downs. But if you go ten miles west of the city, you’ll find a vast stretch of land called Darby Dan Farm in Galloway, Ohio.
It’s a country estate that’s been in the Galbreath family for over 85 years. It holds a special place in the history of thoroughbred racing and the Kentucky Derby. And past the tables and chairs of the grand hall at the Darby House is a room that honors a winning history.
“It’s kinda neat. Every time that I walk in here. I enjoy it and I kinda get a tear,” Squire Galbreath said. “Looking at the timeline and looking at grandfather’s accomplishments. It’s a great honor.”
Squire Galbreath is the grandson of John Galbreath, who, along with owning the Pittsburgh Pirates through their three World Series titles in the 1960s and 70s, also bred and owned horses.
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“He’s always been interested in horses and started his passion with polo horses. He just caught the bug and got interested in it,” Galbreath said of his grandfather. “He purchased horses in the beginning and ended up breeding horses after that.”
Two of those thoroughbreds became Kentucky Derby champions. His first was Chateaugay in 1963, which made John Galbreath, who died in 1988 at the age of 90, the only man to own and win both the Kentucky Derby and World Series winners.
Four years later, Galbreath produced another Derby winner in Proud Clarion. But a trip to the winner’s circle almost didn’t happen.
“His odds were 30-1 and that was quite a feat there,” Squire Galbreath said. “Actually, he was almost sold in the spring because he had not won any major races in the spring and they were about to give up on him. Fortunately, they didn’t.”
You won’t find any more horses on the 1700 acres of land at Darby Dan Farm. The venue produces more weddings than Kentucky Derby winners these days. But the history and legacy of horse racing still live on for the Galbreath family. From scrapbooks John Galbreath kept to individual rooms named after the horses that delivered trophies, Darby Dan Farm remains Central Ohio’s connection to racing history.
“Ninety percent of the people that come back here say, ‘Oh I’ve never been back here. I never realized this was here and I never realized about the family.'” Galbreath said. “It was a passion of my grandfather’s and became a passion for all our family. And we have great memories of going to the races growing up and being around the horses. It was a lot of fun.”
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