Dr. Ian Moore, trainer of Delvin Miller Adios finalist Eighteen, suffered four cracked ribs in a training mishap Friday at The Meadows
while he was giving the colt his final tune-up for Saturday’s $500,000 “Pace for the Orchids.” The incident also involved Ron Burke, North American harness racing’s leading trainer, who was not seriously injured.
Eighteen suffered only scrapes in the accident and is expected to race in the Adios.
According to Moore, Eighteen was working along the inside of the track when he was spooked by a maintenance vehicle and veered sharply outside, colliding with Burke and his horse and flipping both trainers from their sulkies.
Moore said he held the reins to keep Eighteen clear of further damage; when he finally released the lines, Eighteen scampered back to his stall while Moore found himself sprawled in the winners’ circle.
Burke’s father, retired trainer Mickey Burke, said his son was body sore but otherwise unharmed. The horse he was training was not one of the two Burke has in the Adios final.
Moore said he was diagnosed at a local emergency room.
“I’ve had better days,” he said. “There’s really not much they can do. You just have to suck it up.”
(The Meadows)