edith bancroft's father was president and a major shareholder of hanover national bank who also owned belair stud, one of the most important breeding and racing operations in the history of american thoroughbred racing. as part of winning twelve american classics races, under william woodward sr., belair won each of the kentucky derby and the preakness stakes three times and the belmont stakes six times. on two occasions their horse swept the u.s. triple crown. five belair horses were voted into the national museum of racing and hall of fame and william woodward sr. was inducted as one of the ""pillars of the turf" in 2016."