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Norm
10-28-2008, 07:57 PM
Each year on Halloween, the Meadowlands hosts a curious novelty race. It's restricted to grey or roan horses only. It's kinda fun. You must imagine a whole field of ghostly grey horses pounding down the stretch. It used to be called the Grey Ghost Handicap. This year it has no such spooky name, it's just the 6th race, a Starter Handicap. But only greys or Roans may enter. One of the contenders is named 'Wolf Howl', I think I'll put 2 bucks on him just for fun. He should be a long-shot, his racing credentials are ... well ... sorta thin and boney. :)

stu
10-28-2008, 08:45 PM
Albuquerque - Friday, October 31st, 2008 CLAIMING. 870Y Dirt. Purse $8,500. FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. Three Year Olds, 122 lbs.; Older, 124 lbs. Non-winners Of A Race Since August 31 Allowed 2 lbs. Claiming Price $8,000 (Halloween 'Gray' Race Restricted to White, Gray, and Roan Quarter Horse and Thoroughbreds.). (01:00 PM) (7)

PP Horse A/S M/E Wgt Jockey Trainer
1 Drh Royal Flash 7 G L 122 Maldonado John I. Orozco Alonso
2 Sky Ro 7 G L 124 Theriot Brian James Thurston Harold
3 Fols Bar Bug 9 G L 122 Rojas Fernando S. Finch Sherry
4 Stellar Effort 6 H L 122 Guymon Tony F. Brown Barbara Jean
5 Magnificent Dreams 8 G L 122 Lovato Anthony J. Gomez Steve J.
6 Ja Royal Frost 8 G L 122 Essman David Wilder Quintana Richard A.
7 Eyesa In Control 3 G L 122 Fuentes Adan Cadena, Jr. Emilio


Named "Gray Ghost" in the program.

Norm
10-28-2008, 09:48 PM
Named "Gray Ghost" in the program. That's interesting. Maybe that's why the Meadowlands doesn't use the name "Grey Ghost Handicap" anymore. Maybe Albuquerque used it first ?? MED used the alternate spelling 'grey', but I guess that's not enough of a difference.

stu
10-28-2008, 10:22 PM
That's interesting. Maybe that's why the Meadowlands doesn't use the name "Grey Ghost Handicap" anymore. Maybe Albuquerque used it first ?? MED used the alternate spelling 'grey', but I guess that's not enough of a difference.

I doubt that -- I named the race on a whim about 5 minutes before we went final with the program.

The Hawk
10-28-2008, 11:05 PM
Each year on Halloween, the Meadowlands hosts a curious novelty race. It's restricted to grey or roan horses only. It's kinda fun. You must imagine a whole field of ghostly grey horses pounding down the stretch. It used to be called the Grey Ghost Handicap. This year it has no such spooky name, it's just the 6th race, a Starter Handicap. But only greys or Roans may enter. One of the contenders is named 'Wolf Howl', I think I'll put 2 bucks on him just for fun. He should be a long-shot, his racing credentials are ... well ... sorta thin and boney. :)

It's still called the Grey Ghost, on the program.

Norm
10-29-2008, 03:51 AM
It's still called the Grey Ghost, on the program.Yes! you are right. Since this is a thing of such great cultural importance here in New Jersey, I went to the track website and researched it. It's carded as the "Grey Ghost Starter Handicap". Tradition survives. :ThmbUp:

Nacumi
10-29-2008, 07:37 AM
The Meadowlands originated this idea, and it's been copied everywhere, including with harness horses (I didn't think there were enough grey trotters to fill a field!) Philadelphia Park has its own version, the Grey Goblin starter handicap.
For the BigM, Azulyekit and Highland Cat exacta box. :)

onefast99
10-29-2008, 09:01 AM
This has been around for quite a while, the name has never been changed. What a site to see all grey horses headed down the stretch. One of the few bright ideas that still exist today at Club Med.

Norm
10-31-2008, 09:36 PM
For the BigM, Azulyekit and Highland Cat exacta box. :)Good call ! Highland Cat won it. Alas ... my horse came in last. I guess he didn't have a ghost of a chance. Can't understand it ... true, he had no class and no speed but he did have the best name. :D

KirisClown
11-01-2008, 02:51 AM
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joanied
11-01-2008, 10:35 AM
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KirisClown...thanks for the link...it was fun to watch the race:jump: I have a grey ghost myself, a mare (Swing Til Dawn/Hail the Crown/Halo)...love to see her at night during a full moon...she shines and does look ghostly:)

onefast99
11-01-2008, 06:21 PM
Pretty good race Highland cat looked the best, Dylan never was involved, wrong jockey for a horse like him he needs to stick his head into the race has won before on the front end.

harleyjoe13
11-03-2008, 05:06 PM
Each year on Halloween, the Meadowlands hosts a curious novelty race. It's restricted to grey or roan horses only. It's kinda fun. You must imagine a whole field of ghostly grey horses pounding down the stretch. It used to be called the Grey Ghost Handicap. This year it has no such spooky name, it's just the 6th race, a Starter Handicap. But only greys or Roans may enter. One of the contenders is named 'Wolf Howl', I think I'll put 2 bucks on him just for fun. He should be a long-shot, his racing credentials are ... well ... sorta thin and boney. :)
Its funny to read this. I was at the NHC in Vegas last year and the girl that quailified to go to the NCH at Golden Gate Fields told me she won the trip by picking the grey horse every race.(Needless to say she dont have 1 winner in the Vegas tournament).

Zman179
11-07-2008, 11:32 AM
The Meadowlands originated this idea, and it's been copied everywhere, including with harness horses (I didn't think there were enough grey trotters to fill a field!) Philadelphia Park has its own version, the Grey Goblin starter handicap.
For the BigM, Azulyekit and Highland Cat exacta box. :)

I thought it was Monticello Raceway who was the first racetrack to stage a Halloween race for grey horses back in the 80's? It was called The Little Grey Jug.

dav4463
11-07-2008, 04:05 PM
that 4 horse isn't grey enough!

Alyblakester
11-24-2008, 07:32 PM
I've seen grey/roan races at both Evangeline and Delta I believe. Might've been around Halloween at Delta, can't recall. Overall, I'm not keen on restricted type races but this type of thing is fun and puts some spice in an otherwise dull race card I would think. :eek:

ALostTexan
11-25-2008, 09:52 AM
We have one in Tucson that we call something like "Bet the Gray on the Last of the Day" or close to that. With the Arizona Fair horses, though, they may just be so old that gray wasn't their original color...

The Judge
11-25-2008, 10:31 AM
I remember this race for Grays and roans , at Golden Gate Fields they had the Methuselah Stakes for horses 5 or maybe it was 7 and up I think other tracks have carde similar.

stu
11-25-2008, 10:48 AM
I remember this race for Grays and roans , at Golden Gate Fields they had the Methuselah Stakes for horses 5 or maybe it was 7 and up I think other tracks have carde similar.

The urban legend amongst racing secretaries is that the 'Methuselah Stakes' was an invention of the late Bob Umphrey and was conducted at tracks at which he worked. I believe that it is still run at Calder on Extreme Day.

Gorgeous George
11-25-2008, 11:56 AM
in the uk they have a several races during the year that have just grey horses. It makes race cards more interesting

strapper
11-26-2008, 12:15 PM
Methuselah Stakes? That's clever. Who was Methuselah anyway? I know he was an old guy, that's all. Forgive my ignorance.

stu
11-26-2008, 03:17 PM
Methuselah Stakes? That's clever. Who was Methuselah anyway? I know he was an old guy, that's all. Forgive my ignorance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methuselah