William Leavitt Brann was an American businessman and Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse owner/breeder.

Born in Washington, Indiana

Washington, Indiana

Washington is a city in Daviess County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,509 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Daviess County.-History:...

, William Brann graduated from Indiana University

Indiana University

Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

 and then moved to New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 where he founded the highly successful W. L. Brann Advertising Agency whose national clients included Montgomery Ward

Montgomery Ward

Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...

.

Thoroughbred racing

In partnership with Robert Stanley Castle, William Brann owned Branncastle Farm in Walkersville

Walkersville, Maryland

Walkersville is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,805 per the 2010 census.-History:Crum Road Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978...

 in Frederick County

Frederick County

Frederick County is the name of two counties in the United States.* Frederick County, Maryland* Frederick County, Virginia...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

. Among the successful horses they bred was Challedon

Challedon

Challedon was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred in Maryland by William L. Brann and Robert S. Castle, he raced under the colors of their Branncastle Farm....

, the 1939 and 1940 American Horse of the Year  and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...

 inductee. Challedon became the first Maryland-bred and Maryland-owned winner of Maryland's Preakness Stakes

Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...

 since Cloverbrook in 1877. Robert Castle's health problems, that led to his death in May 1948, saw him give up racing and William Brann then operated under the name Glade Valley Farm.

William Brann also owned Gallorette

Gallorette

Gallorette was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III. Even so, her dam, Gallette, had once exchanged hands for $250 and was used as a hack. -Breeding:Trainer Preston M...

 whom he raced with great success in 1945 through 1948. Ranked as one of the top three mare

Mare

Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...

s in American racing during the 20th century, Gallorette was the 1946 American Champion Older Female Horse and was also inducted in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Brann owned a large number of runners during his years in racing including Escadru, Pictor, Vincentive, and Legendra. Trainers who conditioned his horses included Don Cameron

Gregory Duncan Cameron

Gregory Duncan "Don" Cameron was an American Thoroughbred horse trainer who won the U.S. Triple Crown in 1943.A native of California, Don Cameron served as an aviator in the United States Military during World War I. Working in the Thoroughbred horse racing industry, he trained for various owners...

, Edward Christmas

Edward A. Christmas

Edward A. Christmas was an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer. Born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, he is best known for training Gallorette, the 1946 American Champion Older Female Horse and U. S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee.In the U.S. Triple Crown series, Edward Christmas earned a third...

, and Louis Schaefer.

Willam and Mabel Brann maintained a winter home in Boynton Beach, Florida

Boynton Beach, Florida

Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...

where he died in 1951 at the age of seventy-three.