During the finale of a 12-race card at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, Flawless Ruler (Honor Code) was eased at the top of the lane during a $15,000 claimer going a mile and a sixteenth over the all-weather course, was vanned off, and after an examination by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)-licensed veterinarians at the barn, the 5-year-old gelding was humanely euthanized, the track said via a press release late Saturday.
Following a thorough investigation of the incident, the veterinarians concluded that the injury was unlikely to be a result of track conditions. With the concurrence of the AGCO and communication with the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and the Jockeys' Guild, it was decided that training will proceed as scheduled on Sunday morning.
Following safety concerns with track conditions last weekend after three breakdowns–one during training on Saturday and two on the card that same day–which led to the cancellation of two races on Saturday and the entire Sunday schedule, Woodbine and its Tapeta consultants worked to improve the track conditions and return the surface to its optimal condition for safe training and racing.
Following the approval of the AGCO, Woodbine resumed racing on Thursday which continued on Friday and into Saturday.
Owned by Bruno Schickedanz and trained by Norman McKnight, Flawless Ruler raced 20 times prior to Saturday's start and was claimed from CamHaven Farms and trainer Steve Flint for $15,000 at Woodbine Sept. 29. The horse's jockey, Keveh Nicholls, was unharmed during the incident.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
