Trot Insider has spoken with Ontario Racing Commission judge Larry Hughes in regard to the accident which occurred this afternoon during the sixth race at
Flamboro Downs.
The sixth race on the card saw four-year-old Artiscape mare Genie Fricke leave from Post 3 with driver J.R. Plante.
The official chart from the race indicates that the duo were seventh in the vicinity of the quarter pole when Genie Fricke made a break and fell at some point. Genie Fricke did not finish the race.
Star Secrets, a three-year-old Allamerican Ingot mare driven by Billy Davis, Jr., had started from Post 8 in the contest. The chart indicates that Davis and his mare were interfered with and made a break after the opening quarter. The chart also indicates that Davis was able to pull the mare up. Davis and Star Secrets did not finish the race.
"J.R.'s horse (Genie Fricke) was in seventh and Billy Davis, Jr. (aboard Star Secrets) was following in eighth," Hughes told Trot Insider. "J.R.'s horse just made a dirty break out of nowhere and went down to his knees, but he didn't fall to the track."
As Davis was in the trailing position, his mount went into the back of Plante. Hughes explained that Davis was able to avert an accident with his horse.
"Maybe J.R.'s horse got mixed up in the hopples, I'm not sure," said Hughes, who verified that both drivers and horses came away from the incident without any issue, even though one of the horses did get away to the backstretch before it was corralled without incident.