Omaha was the first son of a Triple Crown winner to win the Triple Crown himself. He was the son of Gallant Fox, who took the prize back in 1930.
Despite finishing first or second in 16 of 22 starts in his lifetime, Omaha's career wasn't nearly as distinguished as that of his father. In his two year old season he won just one of nine starts. But once again, trainer James "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons helped the colt shape up and fill out during the winter between his two and three year old years.
Omaha won an allowance race in Aquaduct in early April, 1935, then finished third in the Wood Memorial Stakes. On May 4, he entered the Derby. Jockey Willie Saunders made his move for the lead on the far turn, and led by two lengths at the top of the stretch. He went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths in front of Roman Soldier.
One week after the Derby, Omaha went on to win the Preakness by a run-away 6 lengths ahead of Firethorn. Two weeks later, at the Withers Stakes, a colt names Rosemont defeated Omaha, and questions were raised about his heart and ability. Those questions would haunt him the rest of his career, despite winning the Belmont by 1 1/2 lengths and being named Triple Crown winner number three.
Omaha placed third in his next race in the Brooklyn Handicap, but won his next two races, the Dwyer and Arlington Classic, before an injury ended his season.
As a four year old, Omaha was shipped to race in England, with the Ascot Gold Cup as the goal. He won his first two starts, but lost the Gold Cup by a nose to a filly named Quashed. Another close defeat in the Prince Of Wales Stakes signaled the end of his career. Injuries prevented him from racing again and he began a stud career at Claiborne Farm.
A failure at stud,Claiborne sent him to a New York stud farm in 1943, where he remained for seven years. Then in 1950, he was moved to a farm in Nebraska, where he lived out his years. He died in 1959 and was buried in Omaha, Nebraska at the AK-Sar-Ben race track. He was voted in at number 61 in the top 100 racehorses of the 20th century.