Grey Stakes
The Grey Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually
during the first week of October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. A Grade III, it is open to two-year-old horses and is raced on dirt at a distance of miles. Since 2006, the dirt racing surface at Woodbine Racetrack has been the synthetic Polytrack.
Inaugurated as the Grey Stakes at the Old Woodbine Racetrack in 1906, it was named in honor of the then Governor General of Canada, Earl Grey. Over the years it has been run at various distances:
- 1 mile : 1906-1929
- 1 mile 70 yards : 1930-1955
- miles : 1956 to present at Woodbine Racetrack
J. K. L. Ross, owner of the first United States Triple Crown Champion, Sir Barton, won this race five years in a row with future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Henry McDaniel. In 1926 Henry McDaniel added another win, making him the leader among all winning trainers.
Notable horses who have won the race includes future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees Horometer, Kennedy Road, Sunny's Halo, and Sky Classic. Dancer's Image won the 1967 race and went on to capture the following year's Kentucky Derby, as did Mine That Bird in 2009. Since the creation of the Breeder's Cup races in 1984, Macho Uno is the only horse to have won the Grey Stakes then gone on to win that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Famous horses who did not win the Grey Stakes include Display who ran second in 1925 but was the ensuing year's Preakness Stakes winner. As well, the 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold finished third in the 1996 running of the Grey Stakes.Records
Time record:
Most wins by an owner:
Most wins by a jockey:
Most wins by a trainer:
- 6 - Henry McDaniel
Winners of the Grey Stakes since 1956
- In 1963 Bimini Bill finished first but was disqualified and set back to second.
- In 1999 Exciting Story won but was disqualified and placed fifth.
Earlier winners
- 1955 - Compactor
- 1954 - Senator Jim
- 1953 - King Maple
- 1952 - Avella
- 1951 - I'm Sandy
- 1950 - Argyle
- 1949 - Mighty Nice
- 1948 - Avona
- 1947 - Dymoke
- 1946 - Watch Wrack
- 1945 - Hyperhelio
- 1944 - Dune
- 1943 - Green Bush
- 1942 - Gallant Foe
- 1941 - Air Sure
- 1940 - Jascarf
- 1939 - Second Helping
- 1938 - Peterhof
- 1937 - Poona
- 1936 - Aldwych
- 1935 - Abbatoro
- 1934 - Brannon
- 1933 - Horometer
- 1932 - Tractable
- 1931 - Dark Mission
- 1930 - Irish Maiden
- 1929 - Sweet Sentiment
- 1928 - Butter John
- 1927 - Solace
- 1926 - Willie K.
- 1925 - Penstick
- 1924 - Caduceus
- 1923 - Turnberry
- 1922 - Prismar
- 1921 - Marble
- 1920 - Our Flag
- 1919 - No race
- 1918 - No race
- 1917 - No race
- 1916 - Arravan
- 1915 - Candle
- 1914 - Lady Curzon
- 1913 - Hodge
- 1912 - Leochares
- 1911 - Aldebaran
- 1910 - Picolata
- 1909 - Penn
- 1908 - Arondack
- 1907 - Dredger
- 1906 - Glimmer