Race 5, the last horse out, the Jerkins trained City on the Line dumped his rider entering the track, headed back down the tunnel and ran into and knocked over the Secretariat statue in the paddock and had to be put down. Extremely sad.

god,thats awful

I am on vacation this week, and two of my buds decided to go to the track today.

Unfortunately, I was in the backyard Club house area today, walking along the rail heading to the track. I heard a thunderous noise and City on Line came driving down the dirt path heading back to the saddling area. He was going at least 30mph...full speed. He sllipped on the cobblestone area around the Sec statue and slid into the statue with his back feet...like a slide to a base. The sound of the crash was horrific...like a car crash. Looked like broken back legs.

It took all of the 5th race and 6th race to load the poor soul into the ambulance. The tarps went up 15 minutes after the accident, and City on Line was still moving.

Ruined a nice day at the track. I don't understand why they don't put a bar up at the tunnel entrance to the track and stop horses from running back to the saddling area. City On Line was heading back to his barn, it appeared.

Wooley, I'm so sorry that you witnessed this. So very sorry for you, for poor City On Line, and his trainer and owner. This would have been devastating for me to see; I'm sure it was for you. I would've had to leave the track right away.

that is just horrible......

Sad

OMG, i would have freaked and been hysterical crying... Did anyone try to stop him?

D wayne Luckas's son tried that once with Tobasco Cat and was almost killed. I wouldnt try getting infront of a 1000 lb Animal going 30 MPH.


Very Sad set of sircunstances.

Years ago a loose horse jumped the rail at Philly Park and was heading into the grandstand at a pretty good clip. A huge Pennsylvania farmer dropped the two beers he was carrying out of the grandstand and somehow got a hold of the reins and brought the terrified runner under control. Nobody was injured and the farmer got his two beers back on the house and a lifetime pass to Philly Park. In an interview later the man said he would have preferred a lifetime beer pass at Philly Park.

Wooley, we do put up a bar at the tunnel entrance, but, unfortunately City on Line was the number 10 and the # 11 - # 12 and the outrider were still coming on the track as he barrelled past them and me at full speed. I did my best to get the people out of the way that were coming up the tunnel out of the paddock. But there was no time to get the bar up