An Ontario Racing Commission tribunal hearing into the breakdown and ultimate euthanization of Wake At Noon, Canada's top thoroughbred in 2002, took place yesterday after being requested by owner Bruno Schickedanz
, who has subsequently been banned from racing his horses at the Woodbine Entertainment Group's Woodbine Racetrack.
Wake At Noon's trainer, Tom Marino, has also been banned from the suburban Toronto track after the 13-year-old chestnut -- who had previously been retired twice -- was back in training at the track when he fell and broke two legs, leading to the horse being put down.
“The way he acted, the way he moved, he wanted to go,” an article by The Globe and Mail quoted professional exercise rider Dessislav Luokanovtold as telling the ORC tribunal.
“He trotted, then he galloped. … He was total perfection. And he made the wrong step.”
According to the article, WEG officials have said Schickendanz and Marino exercised poor judgment and took an unnecessary risk by putting Wake at Noon back to work, especially considering his age and the fact that this was the second time he was being brought out of retirement.
“It was a bad decision because that horse didn’t belong in racing or training any more,” WEG Vice President of Thoroughbred Racing Stephen Koch told the panel.
The article also explains that there are no rules explicitly banning older horses from racing or training at Woodbine Racetrack.
(With files from The Globe and Mail)
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