AS this is a predominantly thoroughbred publication readers will be aware of the public’s affection for a good grey. Desert Orchid, One Man and Thousand Stars are just some of the silver stars to work their way into people’s hearts.

Therefore it should be no surprise that probably the best known trotter ever was a grey, or gray as it is spelt in in his homeland. Greyhound (1937-1965) helped popularise the sport of harness racing as he had speed on the track, good looks and the all important ‘gait’.

The most common photograph of Greyhound and driver/trainer Sep Palin at full stride is arguably the most reproduced photograph ever of a harness horse.

Modern day yearling expert Murray Brown formerly of Hanover Shoe Farms recently wrote that a grey coat can put as much as 25% onto the value of a youngster, and his assertion is borne out by sales figures. However, Greyhound did not command a good price at the sales, even though he was grey.

Greyhound made only $900 when he was offered for sale in 1938. The price was humble enough, even in a post-depression economy. A tall foal, the judges amongst the training community probably felt he was a bit weak for his frame.

Even though Messenger, the foundation sire of all Standardbreds, was a grey, the colour was not common in the 1930s and even today is rare enough.

The grey foal was by Guy Abbey out of Elizabeth. Greyhound was bred at Almahurst Farm, Kentucky owned by Henry Knight.

Vicious temper

Greyhound was gelded at an early age. Seemingly he had a vicious temper when young. Historians and pedigree analysts can only wonder what impact Greyhound, Cardigan Bay and Foiled Again would have had on the modern breed had they not made that life altering trip to the vet.

He was bought as a yearling by Colonel AJ Baker. Eventually nature intervened and allowed the 16.2hh gelding to fill out into a beautiful specimen.

‘Photogenic’ is a word that could have been coined for Greyhound. The American trade press christened him ‘The Grey Ghost’ and he appears to have been an editor’s dream.

In the sulky for his six-year track career was Sep Palin (1878- 1952) one of the last of the pre-war horsemen, when horseman was a hard-earned title.

Whether Greyhound is at racing speed or paddling around at exercise, Palin always appears to have a vice-like grip on the reins. Not for him the ‘recliner chair’ posture used by many modern drivers and the subject of much debate.

Sep Palin was one of the last generation to drive in silks and wear the soft-peaked hat which was stylish but afforded no protection.

Formidable

The formidable pairing won America’s premier race for three-year-old trotters, The Hambletonian. They also won the Championship Stallion Stake and The Horseman Futurity. Greyhound set 14 world records. He set a world record for the mile of 1:55¼ in 1938 that was to stand until 1969.

The horse’s career coincided with an exciting time in American history. Ladies wore big dresses, men wore suits and hats, cars had massive bodies. Life was good. Greyhound was the poster boy of the sport.

The Grey Ghost, like last week’s The Irish Field subject Dan Patch, had to resort to a life of exhibitions and time trials as there were no horses around to give him a proper race. Throughout his racing career his groom was Jimmy Wingfield.

Colonel AJ Baker used plenty of ingenuity in setting up new challenges for the star of the sport.

For instance, in 1940 Greyhound jointly set a world record for the mile of 1:58¼ as a pair, hitched to a central pole as opposed to shafts, alongside his stable companion, the mare Rosalind.

In another unusual record Frances Dodge Van Lennep from the world of showing rode the gelding to a 2:01¾ world record under saddle in 1940.

The young girl was from the Dodge Automobile family so the trotter was mixing in the well-to-do company. Colonel Baker sacked Palin over this record as he had not been informed of the run.

Eventually it was decided to retire the great champion. He retired having won 71 races from 82 starts.

Silver coat

In his retirement at Flanery Farms in Illinois he continued to be much photographed with visitors. Colour photography was a relatively new phenomenon and the old horse’s silver coat was striking against red halters and stable rugs, etc. In retirement his caretaker was Dooley Putnam who doted on the horse.

He died peacefully in 1965 at the age of 33. In his lifetime the sport which he once dominated had moved from the county fairs of the mid-west to floodlit palaces in big cities. The Sep Palins, Doc Parshalls and Tom Berrys had been displaced by young aggressive ‘ catch drivers’ such as Dancer and Haughton.

However, the professionals enjoying the post-war harness racing boom knew the importance of Greyhound, Volomite and Adios to the early ‘industry’. He was voted as Trotter of the Century in 1999.

The United States Trotting Association has managed to maintain a beautiful harness racing museum in the small town of Goshen, New York State. The town, a trotting track and the museum building have changed little in the past century. Gary Moore’s star hurdler is named after the historic town.

In 2012 it emerged that Greyhound’s original stall and tack room were to be demolished in Illinois. Harness racing enthusiasts Jan Heine and Nancy Brejc set about dismantling the famous stable and it was moved plank by plank to the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen where it was rebuilt and is now a permanent exhibit. The ladies behind the move are to be honoured in February 2022.

And so the memory of ‘The Grey Ghost’ and a glamorous era for trotting lives on.