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5 Famous Grey Racehorses (Part 2)


The first edition of “Five Famous Grey Racehorses” was very popular and as many of you pointed out, there were still many fantastic grey racehorses who didn’t make it into Part 1.


Here are five more famous grey racehorses. Maybe you’ll see your favorite on this list:


1. Holy Bull (1991-2017) Holy Bull was a widely loved and celebrated racehorse. This horse only lost three times in his sixteen race career, all three of those losses being very uncharacteristic finishes. Holy Bull won six Grade 1 races, including the Florida Derby, Met Mile, Haskell Invitational, and Travers Stakes. He was voted 1994 Champion Three-Year Old Colt and Horse of the Year before retiring to Jonabell Farm (later sold to Darley).

2. Skip Away (1993 - 2010) Skip Away was a $30,000 purchase at a Two-Year Olds in Training Sale in Ocala, Florida for Hall of Fame trainer Hubert “Sonny” Hine. His wife Carolyn wanted a grey horse because her vision problems made it hard for her to spot any other color of horse on the racetrack. Skip Away would turn out to be a ten-time Grade 1 winner. Among his many notable victories were the Jockey Club Gold Cup (which he won twice), Haskell Invitational, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Donn Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and Pimlico Special. Skip Away was Champion Three-Year Old Colt in 1996, Champion Older Horse in 1997 & ‘98, and Horse of the Year in 1998.


3. Winning Colors (1985 - 2008) Winning Colors is known as being one of just three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby, this filly won the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Santa Anita Derby (G1). She attempted to win the other two legs of the Triple Crown as well, but ultimately finished third in the Preakness Stakes and sixth in the Belmont Stakes. She was Champion Three-Year Old Filly in 1988.

4. Black Tie Affair (1986 - 2010) Black Tie Affair spent the first two years of his career running well in stakes races at tracks like Philadelphia Park, Sportmans Park, and Arlington. He got better as he aged, eventually winning eleven graded stakes races. He won two Grade 1 races in 1991 - the Philip H. Iselin Handicap and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Black Tie Affair was voted Horse of the Year in 1991. He stood stud at Vinery Stud in Kentucky and spent several years in Japan before returning to the United States for a permanent retirement at Old Friends.


5 .Greyhound (1932 - 1965) Though Champions of the Track focuses on Thoroughbred horse racing, it is hard to list famous grey racehorses without mentioning a Standardbred named Greyhound. Greyhound is considered to be one of the greatest trotters of all time. Purchased for just $900 at an auction because of his “awkward appearance”, he would go on to race 82 times and set multiple world records.

Leave a comment if you love the greys and want to see a Part 3 of this series!

 

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