Jockey still riding and working despite this hanging over his head.

[ponyplayerdotca]

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20060517/impaired_fatal_060517/20060517?hub=TorontoHome

This happened back in May no less. The info I received was that it is the Woodbine jockey David Clark involved in this.

It seems to me that he should be in jail, or at least suspended pending the legal outcome of this ordeal. Innocent until proven guilty, yes, but the article indicates he was drunk and at fault for the crash.

And other than this one news story that day, not one word has been said about it by anyone in the media.

They wouldn't even identify him as "local veteran Woodbine jockey David Clark, just "David Clark, 52".

If any well known jockey riding in the U.S. was caught driving impaired, having an accident, and killing somebody in the process, wouldn't it be at the top of the daily news listing in the horse racing world?

So why is Clark being treated by the media with relative anonymity? Should I be as mad about this as I am, or am I overreacting? :confused:

[CryingForTheHorses]

I have known David for at least 25 years..I remember him meeting his wife Penny at Woodbine when she worked for Gil Rountree when he had Stafford farms..I even had my horses at his old training center called Kings Cross just past highway 9.I last saw him at Calder just after GP ended.I then heard a week later about this accident when he got back to Toronto...David is a nice man and Im sure he feels very bad at what has happened..I am shocked about this and Im sure its something he regrets..I do think the man has his hidden demons and I also feel the courts will do justice if need be...No reason to stop the man from earning a living and no reason to shame him more with the media..A life was lost and that is something he will have to live with the rest of his life..I pray he gets help for his drinking and I pray for the families lost one..God bless the lady who lost her life and God help David

[skate]

could be


did it say that "somebody was at fault", or did the teacher get into some crack?
before the accident.

i don't want to condem her, since i do not have the facts.

maybe she just crossed the lines...?

[skate]

seems like a lot of teachers are getting into trouble, lately.


i pray for them

[ponyplayerdotca]

The female teacher who was killed was the passenger. I believe her husband was driving.

She was the innocent one in all of this, and unfortunately, is the one who paid with her life (wrong place, wrong time).

I pray for all the families involved, including Clark.

My objection was more about the media's treatment of the story.

He should have been identified more thoroughly since it is relevant to the story.

I could have made that more clear in the first post I guess - my bad.

[CryingForTheHorses]

The female teacher who was killed was the passenger. I believe her husband was driving.

She was the innocent one in all of this, and unfortunately, is the one who paid with her life (wrong place, wrong time).

I pray for all the families involved, including Clark.

My objection was more about the media's treatment of the story.

He should have been identified more thoroughly since it is relevant to the story.

I could have made that more clear in the first post I guess - my bad.



Identiied more clearly for what?..For your satifaction because you wernt there to see the accident...Identify more clearly so the rest of the world could scorn him?...I still havent heard whose fault it was..What if it was him that was killed and the teacher lived..Would her driver be scorned..They identified him by name, Just because he is a jockey is no grounds to humiliate him.Thre are thousands of accidents every year..Its hardly worth scorning people for their mistakes..THEY are the ones to have to live with it..As for the thousands of families that this happens to..Life goes on sadly but it goes on

[PaceAdvantage]

And other than this one news story that day, not one word has been said about it by anyone in the media.

They wouldn't even identify him as "local veteran Woodbine jockey David Clark, just "David Clark, 52".

OK, here's the dumb question of the day. How did you find out that this David Clark from the accident is THE David Clark, THE jockey, if nobody in the news is reporting this fact?

[ponyplayerdotca]

A friend of a friend works at the race track, and word spread around.

It says in the news report that "David Clark, 52, is facing five charges, including impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death."

Based on that, it seems he was at fault for the accident. Again, innocent until proven guilty, but that's the story so far.

This is all the info I have to go on. So, based on that, I made the original post.

I couldn't believe a story like that was basically ignored by all media (but one local TV station). I only found out myself recently, another indication that it wasn't widely publicized.

Since I usually find headlines on the homepage of this message board that are relevant and informative, I wondered to myself why I hadn't even heard of a story like this until now.

So, I posted. That's all. I figure if Jerry Bailey or Victor Espinoza did the same thing, it wouldn't only be posted as a news item on PA, but it would be some sort of national news too.

[Valuist]

Is it me, or do jockeys have higher rates of drug and alcohol addiction than the rest of society? Maybe too much money too quick + too little education= substance abuse?

[Pgh. Gere]

Valuist- I don't know about higher rate verses rest of society, but certainly things like "flipping" and other efforts to make weight can send them down that path. Coke/crack and other stimulants do have a big weight loss effect.


While I see the point that the media isn't doing the typical sensationalization of this story, I think it is a good thing. If this David Clark was a guy that worked as an accountant, the papers wouldn't be running the "accounting manager for local firm" etc, why single him cause he is a jockey?

[maxwell]

I read about in the Form or in one of the local papers. The article did mention he was a long-time rider at Woodbine. His daughter rides at Fort Erie.

A sad and tragic situation for all concerned.

[ponyplayerdotca]

PGH GERE:

My post wasn't meant to simply be sensationalistic or damning in its origin and I didn't intend it to be taken that way.

My outside concern was that if he had a drinking problem, and caused a fatal car accident, should he be allowed to continue riding race horses (another form of driving)? I thought some sort of suspension was in order until the entire legal matter had resolved itself.

And how would the other jockeys feel about having to work with him under race conditions?

As far as the horseplayer in me is concerned, it may influence handicapping in some way if you suspect Clark has a problem and believe it may affect his ability to ride.

These are legitimate concerns I have with regard to the whole situation.

MAXWELL:

Information is what this game is all about. Thank you for your post. I did not catch that at the time this happened.

[46zilzal]

I read about in the Form or in one of the local papers. The article did mention he was a long-time rider at Woodbine. His daughter rides at Fort Erie.

Corey Clark? well what do you know.

[Pgh. Gere]

Pony-

Agree with your concerns and as far as sensationalistic I was refering to the paper itself. Applauding them for not mentioning him as a jockey.I guess the track, like other sports team, are deferring suspension etc, till he is in fact found guilty.

You make a good point about factoring it into your handicapping opinion. I had friend who switched trainers, the old one had a drinking problem , in my friends opinion. After he told me about this, I would always factor that into my decission as to whether to play the old trainers horse or not.

[CryingForTheHorses]

PGH GERE:

My post wasn't meant to simply be sensationalistic or damning in its origin and I didn't intend it to be taken that way.

My outside concern was that if he had a drinking problem, and caused a fatal car accident, should he be allowed to continue riding race horses (another form of driving)? I thought some sort of suspension was in order until the entire legal matter had resolved itself.

And how would the other jockeys feel about having to work with him under race conditions?

As far as the horseplayer in me is concerned, it may influence handicapping in some way if you suspect Clark has a problem and believe it may affect his ability to ride.

These are legitimate concerns I have with regard to the whole situation.

MAXWELL:

Information is what this game is all about. Thank you for your post. I did not catch that at the time this happened.



You make some very good points.In my time on the track 30+ years,I have seen guys who drink untill they are unconscious..Get up in the morning and work all day without a drink.This goes for trainers,Jockeys and ex-riders grooms and hotwalkers.No different then the outside world.

[CryingForTheHorses]

This is amazing to me,I have know this guy for 25+ years and whenever I talked to him he was a gentleman and was never drunk,Ive seen him have a beer but in no way I could ever decribe him as a drunk..Maybe Im stupid I dont know..It just floors me!!

[skate]

not alone, on the floor.


do we know if she was on crack, or speeding with luds

[PaceAdvantage]

How about we stick to the facts of the story at hand, and stop accusing people of doing this or being that....it's not good for my legal defense fund....:lol: