Woodbine Entertainment has cancelled training and the scheduled race card for Sunday, Nov. 10, as a precautionary measure to prioritize the safety and well-being of the horses and jockeys after three catastrophic breakdowns took place on Saturday, the track said in a release early on Sunday morning.

On Saturday morning during workouts at Woodbine, an unnamed horse suffered a breakdown. During the second race on the card, Social Dancer (Society’s Chairman) took an awkward step at the half-mile marker, had to be eased and was then vanned off via equine ambulance. The 3-year-old filly then had to be euthanized.

In the GIII Bessarabian Stakes, which was the eighth race carded, Owen’s Tour Guide (Tourist) took a wrong step at the quarter pole and fell. The 6-year-old mare was then euthanized. Jockey Jose Campos was able to walk off under his own power.

After the accident, Woodbine cancelled the remaining two races. The GII Autumn Stakes, which was scheduled as race nine, will not be re-drawn and will take place next Saturday, Nov. 16.

The Sunday morning decision was made after consulting with key industry partners, including the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), the Jockeys’ Guild, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Training was also suspended.

Woodbine is currently performing track maintenance and closely reviewing conditions which includes meeting with its consultants. These efforts will continue throughout the day, with racing and training activities set to resume only when it is deemed safe to do so.

“The safety of our horses and jockeys is always our highest priority,” said Bill Ford, executive vice president of racing at Woodbine.” In consultation with our industry partners, we have decided to take these precautionary steps to ensure that the track conditions meet the highest safety standards. Woodbine has long been recognized as one of the safest racetracks in North America, and we are committed to maintaining that reputation by thoroughly assessing and addressing any issues.”

Woodbine will continue to provide updates as efforts progress and decisions regarding the resumption of training and racing are made.

UPDATE: Today’s card of Live Racing @WoodbineTB has been cancelled as a precautionary measure to prioritize the safety and well-being of the horses and jockeys.

Woodbine is currently performing track maintenance and closely reviewing track conditions with Tapeta consultants.

— Woodbine Communications (@WoodbineComms) November 10, 2024

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This story was posted in Top News and tagged AGCO, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, all-weather surface, Bill Ford, GII Autumn Stakes, GIII Bessarabian Stakes, Horse Racing, Jockey’s Guild, racing cancelled, thoroughbreds, unsafe racing surface, Woodbine.