Omaha, NE racetrack

[dutzman]

Was just fliiping through the channels and ran into a news bit on MSNBC. The caption on the bottom of the video clip read "Gate Crashes" and i believe the city they had listed was Omaha. Anyway, in a two turn race of what looked like a pretty full field the gate was never moved from the homestretch, So as the horses were coming around the far turn the jocks had to avoid the gate. They all ended up going between the gate and the outter rail, but it was a very tight squeeze...... the jocks did a hell of a job.....for a second it looked like it could have been a bad deal. Don;t know too many other details, as I had the sound turned down and just happened to catch it while channel surfing. Has anyone else seen this or read about it? How the hell could something like that happen?

[Ron]

Both tractors failed?

[saratoga guy]

The second "tractor" looks like some piece of heavy-duty land moving equipment! Whatever it was -- it didn't help.

Links to video and a "slideshow" of the incident at www.equidaily.com

[PaceAdvantage]

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/9555038/detail.html

Wow! Pretty wild that nobody was injured and they were able to all make it through the eye of that needle.....

Also weird that the announcer didn't realize the gate was still there until the moment they almost hit the damn thing....but I guess he had the binoculars trained on the pack and not on what might be 100 yards in front of the field....

[saratoga guy]

Yeah, the only explanation is that he was looking through the binocs -- they're right on top of it before he mentions anything!

It seems like a real breeakdown of procedure and communication that the field wasn't alerted to the problem before they came back around to the gate.

One thing I found interesting: The competitive juices obviously kept flowing for at least two or three of the jocks -- like they're thinking, "Hmmm, starting gate blocking the way... No big deal. I'll just keep riding to win!" As if it didn't even dawn on them that this was kind of a big enough problem that the race was virtually certain to be declared a no-contest.

[mainardi]

It figures that a track that only runs TWO WEEKENDS A YEAR -- in order to keep their simulcasting license -- would screw this up. They probably contracted out the tractor driver jobs to the Teamsters... and both drivers were taking their break "right on time". :blush: :rolleyes:

[PaceAdvantage]

One thing I found interesting: The competitive juices obviously kept flowing for at least two or three of the jocks -- like they're thinking, "Hmmm, starting gate blocking the way... No big deal. I'll just keep riding to win!" As if it didn't even dawn on them that this was kind of a big enough problem that the race was virtually certain to be declared a no-contest.

Given the inconsistency of the steward's decisions at times, I wasn't surprised at all to see the jockeys (at least some of them) ride their horses the rest of the way....:lol:

[bigmack]

It seems like a real breeakdown of procedure and communication that the field wasn't alerted to the problem before they came back around to the gate.
What what this? I thought Allen Funt was going to come out and say the whole thing was a gag. But it wasn't. It was dangerous, and it was a pathetic display of trackmanship. They should not be allowed to race at this place - http://www.horsemenspark.com/

[Jeff P]

I'm guessing the truck attached to the gate itself stalled and wouldn't start. Kind of looks like they already had the dozer in place as a backup and were still trying to attach a cable from it to the truck so they could use it to pull the gate out of the way. The 46 and change for the half in one of the images tells me they just didn't have enough time to get the cable attached and yank the truck and gate out of the way. Or maybe the cable was attached to a winch that quit working.

The really interesting thing to me is the outrider blocking the narrow opening between the outer rail and the gate. He has to scurry out of the way to avoid a collision.

Believe it or not I saw this exact same thing happen once at TUP when I was living in AZ. On that day one of the outriders had the good sense to circle around behind the gate and race backwards around the far turn where he warned the riders off at the end of the backstretch.

-jp

.

[Jeff P]

One thing I found interesting: The competitive juices obviously kept flowing for at least two or three of the jocks -- like they're thinking, "Hmmm, starting gate blocking the way... No big deal. I'll just keep riding to win!" As if it didn't even dawn on them that this was kind of a big enough problem that the race was virtually certain to be declared a no-contest. Funny thing though - How is it that some of them refuse to ride at all... even when there isn't a starting gate in the way. :)

--jp

.

[Sailwolf]

It figures that a track that only runs TWO WEEKENDS A YEAR -- in order to keep their simulcasting license -- would screw this up. They probably contracted out the tractor driver jobs to the Teamsters... and both drivers were taking their break "right on time". :blush: :rolleyes:

No horn or lights??????????????????

[jballscalls]

I found it interesting that the two on the lead really kept riding towards the wire, get that purse money!!

As far as the announcer, i can tell you that i wouldnt know if something was amiss til they got there as well. The only time i look away from the field is to check the fractional times. Plus even if he would have noticed earlier, they cant hear him on the backstretch or the turn anyways. not like he could have stopped them.

Just a misfortunate accident.

[Bruddah]

Can you identify that race caller? I can because he calls at my favorite track. Who was that masked man? :D

[Tom]

That happened at FL years ago - but Ross MLrton saw it, and called a warnig out to the riders while they were on the back stretch.
They managed to get the tractor started and pulled out of the way, bu tthe horses wee already slowing down in the stretch, so no real danger. Just dam poor time!

* * * * * *

Hey Mainardi......get back to work. You got races to handciap! ;)

[Indulto]

It figures that a track that only runs TWO WEEKENDS A YEAR -- in order to keep their simulcasting license -- would screw this up. They probably contracted out the tractor driver jobs to the Teamsters... and both drivers were taking their break "right on time". :blush: :rolleyes:They were probably handicapping the next race. Only two weekends a year means ya gotta get yer action when ya can!

[Tom]

Hey, here 's a thought.....put that on Calder's Extreme Day card next year - the Chicken Steaks! See who pulls up first! :D

[Indulto]

Hey, here 's a thought.....put that on Calder's Extreme Day card next year - the Chicken Steaks! See who pulls up first! :DAnd the starting gate should open at a specified time no matter who's ready or hasn't loaded yet. ;)

[PaceAdvantage]

Can you identify that race caller? I can because he calls at my favorite track. Who was that masked man? :D

That's too easy....Terry Wallace from Oaklawn....