Driver Matt Krueger was injured on Monday night at Pompano Park after a serious accident involving four horses occurred during the first race.
Krueger was piloting Persephonie and in third place midway on the backstretch when the leader, Open Skies, driven by James Hysell, suddenly went down with Krueger, Andy Shetler and Aaron Byron unable to avoid the fallen horse.
Hysell, Shetler and Byron were, subsequently, cleared to participate but Krueger suffered a broken elbow, broken shoulder and punctured lung and is expected to have multiple surgeries to repair the damage.
Driver Andy Santeramo, driving the eventual winner, Watchwhatmyfeetdo, remarked, "You know there are photo finishes at the wire every night at the races. Well, this was a photo finish -- for me, anyhow -- on the backstretch because, if I had been a split second slower, two more of us (including Mike Simons) would have been involved. This incident came without warning and, when I pulled from fifth on the backside, I just wanted to move alongside the leader around the final bend but my horse had a lot of momentum and a little voice in my head said 'just keep going.' We are all saying prayers for Matt (Krueger), that's for sure."
Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Matt Krueger a full and speedy receovery.
(Pompano)