Yonkers Raceway’s fourth race Tuesday night, Feb. 26, was declared a ‘no contest’ due to a horse going down.
Right around the quarter-mile pole, trailing pacer Classiesistar N, driven by Joe Bongiorno, took some bad steps and fell down. He landed about two or three paths out from the pylons and not far from where the starting car remains as an observer during the race.
When the rest of field hit the backstretch the second time, they all had to check up to negotiate a ‘skinnier’ oval, going wide in between the fallen horse and the car. With the entire oval unable to be used during the race, the judges deemed the race a ‘no contest’.
Bongiorno was not hurt, while 10-year-old gelding Classiesistar N—once unhooked from the bike—immediately took a clockwise lap before escorting himself back to the paddock. The injury report apparently consisted of just some cuts to his knees and/or feet.
(Yonkers Raceway)