Stephens, "Woody" (Woodford C.)
b. Sept. 1, 1913, Stanton, KY
d. August 22, 1998
After nearly a decade as a jockey, Stephens encountered weight problems and began training horses at Woodford Farm in 1940. He opened a public stable four years later and went on to become one of the most successful trainers in history.
His first major winner was Blue Man in the 1952 Preakness. Stephens trained Kentucky Derby winners Cannonade in 1974 and Swale in 1984, but his most notable success was in the Belmont Stakes. Horses trained by Stephens won that race five years in a row, from 1982 through 1986.
The winner of the Eclipse Award as trainer of the year in 1983, Stephens trained eleven champions, including Eclipse Award winners for six consecutive years: Smart Angle in 1979, Heavenly Cause in 1980, De La Rose in 1981, Conquistador Cielo in 1982, Devil's Bag in 1983, and Swale in 1984.