by Dean A. Hoffman

Some horses simply have the charisma that gives them enormous popularity with racing fans. Dan Patch had it. So did Good Time, Bret Hanover, Cam Fella, and Moni Maker.

Recently, however, it’s hard to imagine that there has been any more popular harness horse than the “Grey Gladiator,” whose official registered name is Admiral’s Express. The recent retirement of the widely loved horse was a cause for sadness, not only among his connections, but also for a wide segment of the racing public.

Bruce Murray, vice president of Standardbred Racing for the Woodbine Entertainment Group, summed it up when he said, “I can safely say, and our track photographer Clive Cohen would concur, that we have had more inquiries and requests for posters and photos of him than all other horses, combined, that have raced at Woodbine and Mohawk in recent memory.”

The enormous popularity of the beautiful grey horse may now be employed to promote harness racing, as his owners want to convert Admiral’s Express into a goodwill ambassador for the sport.

Admiral’s Express retired after 293 starts and 76 wins. In racing from age two through age 10, he compiled $1,649,900 in earnings, and his 1:48.2s mark was taken at Woodbine as a 9-year-old.

He was bred by Ronald Cole and Judith Ekstrand of Michigan and has been owned throughout his career by Cheryl and Ed Sayfie and Laurel and Gary Gust, also of Michigan. Even though he was foaled in the Wolverine State, the Grey Gladiator enjoyed his greatest success on the prestigious Woodbine Entertainment Group Circuit.

“We used to feature a racehorse in a stall inside the grandstand on Saturday night’s during Mohawk’s fall meets for fans to visit up-close,” Murray said. “We always got requests for Admiral’s Express. As Mike Hales’ farm in Orillia, Ontario is more than two hours from Mohawk, it was a long trip to bring him without racing, so one week our race secretary Scott McKelvie carded the Free For All Pace as race one so that the horse could visit the grandstand afterwards.

“Well, he arrived after race two, still of course soaking wet after a bath,” Murray continued. “What a scene it was. He was mobbed with customers petting him and taking photos. There will undoubtedly be a repeat of that scenario when he’s officially retired at Mohawk on May 19.”

His rivals in the top pacing ranks in Ontario aren’t sorry to see Admiral’s Express retire, but many fans surely are.

One of them is Carey Lewis of Toronto, who said “This horse leaves me with so many great memories. He certainly rekindled my love for the sport. I have been an avid harness racing fan for over 40 years, and no other horse impacted me the way the ‘Grey One’ did.

“I’m encouraged to see that he will be an ambassador for the sport in the coming year, as so many loved him, and he truly is great for the sport.”

Barclay Hurley wrote to Bruce Murray last year to say, “My father is turning 70 this year and is a huge harness racing fan. I have for the past two years arranged a trip to the North America Cup for us on Father’s Day weekend. His favorite horse is the Grey Gladiator. I wonder if there is a possibility to have a picture of my Dad with ‘the Admiral?’ ”

Murray says that the photo was taken out with Admiral’s Express after a warm-up trip. The Grey Gladiator then went out and won the Free For All that night.

In 2007, look for the Grey Gladiator to go from being a great pacer to becoming a great promoter.