a Roosevelt Raceway horse racing starting gate car in a parade, it's so uncommon to come across starting gate cars!

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=24136993422657232&set=g.2148973911953512

It's been a long time since a horse race gate car showed up

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-cohort/curbside-find-1955-cadillac-horse-race-gate-car/

It's been about 20 months since I last found a horse racing starting line gate car

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by.428585/page-5974#post-12902978

one of the most unusual of cars, a horse track portable gate - pace car, more accurately named an "autostarter" and it's a 47 Cadillac to boot!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/117891934@N07/13592246803/

1939 Mercury convertible ended up in Italy by way of a service member who was stationed there. At some point, it was converted to what is called an “autostarter” for horse racing. It's now in Vicentina, Italy with a $24,500 Buy-It-Now

https://barnfinds.com/italian-barn-find-1938-mercury-8-convertible/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1938-Mercury-Convertible-One-of-very-few-in-stock-configuration/253428773731?hash=item3b01883363:g:UkMAAOSwvu5ahW92&vxp=mtr

a starting-line car for horse racing, a Buick horse racing gate car!

Of the 3,305 Buick Roadmasters built in 1954, this one was ordered specifically for this purpose. It was used at Maywood Park Racetrack in Chicago.

Unlike thoroughbred racing, where the horses start from a fixed gate, the gate in harness racing is mounted to a vehicle that starts the race by pulling away from the line of horses. The gates fold forward on the vehicle as it accelerates and then it turns off the track at the end of the straightaway, while the horses continue around the turn.

here's what that appears like when in use:

you can see a whole gallery of a variety of cars that do this https://umbrella7067.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/photos-of-harness-racing-starting-gates-from-around-the-world/

https://www.facebook.com/TheAutoArchaeologist/posts/1847936185230567
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/uncovered-vintage-horse-racing-starting-car
http://standardbredcanada.ca/news/2-25-17/sc-rewind-richelieu-park-memories.html