Three jockeys were hospitalized following a five-horse spill during the first race at Woodbine Nov. 22. The incident occurred near the three-furlong marker on the main track, where No Layups clipped heels with the pacesetting Whiskey N Ice and fell and unseated jockey Edgar Zenteno. From there, the down horse and rider created a chain reaction behind them causing four other horses to fall and dislodge their riders.
All five horses stood up and walked off after the race.
Jockeys Justin Stein, Da-Sean Gaskin, and Zenteno were transported to the hospital for further assessment. The two remaining riders, Juan Crawford and Fraser Aebly, were not hospitalized.
In a stewards’ inquiry, the winner Whiskey N Ice was disqualified from first to last for interference going into the far turn.
In the day following the spill, it was released that Zenteno suffered a broken left shoulder bone and a broken bone in his neck. He will be recovering at home soon. Stein sustained 3 vertebrae fractures in his lower thoracic, T11, T12, and L1 and a broken ribhas. He is recovering at home.
Friday’s incident comes the day after Woodbine released a statement that the Ontario track had addressed safety concerns over the main track. Following two breakdowns Nov. 9, the remainder of the card was canceled and the track was reviewed by Tapeta Footings and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Woodbine Confident in Track Ahead of Final Four Weeks
There was another fatality on Woodbine’s main track Nov. 16 when Flawless Ruler sustained a leg injury in the day’s final race and was euthanized. In a statement, Woodbine said a thorough investigation of Flawless Ruler’s breakdown was conducted and AGCO veterinarians concluded “The injury was unlikely to be a result of track conditions.”
The injury occurred as the 12th-race field, for CA$14,000-$15,000 claimers traveling 1 1/16 miles, entered the stretch. According to the Equibase chart, Flawless Ruler “lost ground to others four wide through the last turn, was eased in the seventh path turning for home and left via equine ambulance.”
The Woodbine statement said AGCO veterinarians examined the 5-year-old Honor Code gelding back at his barn where they determined the “injuries were too severe for a full recovery.”
Owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Norman McKnight, who claimed him two starts prior, the Ontario-bred won two of 21 starts, finishing in the money six times for earnings of $53,265.
