The fifth race at Canterbury Park on Father’s Day appeared to be your standard state-bred maiden claimer.  Seven and a half furlongs over the turf, the race featured a nearly full field of 10.

The issues started when the horses loaded for the race.  Both Lil’ Red Devil and Show started acting up in the gate and both appeared to pin themselves underneath.  As the gate crew moved to free them, Show bolted through the opened gate and took off over the turf course.  As he approached the gap on the backside where horses come on and off the track for workouts, he jumped the fence separating the turf from the dirt course and got stuck in between.  While he was being captured as he came back around to the starting gate, Lil’ Red Devil was extricated from his predicament.  Both horses were scratched.

The horses loaded for the second time with seemingly no issues.

Then the gate opened.

Tiz A Princess, breaking out of post position one, took a sharp left turn and unseated Patrick Canchari and jumped the rail into the infield.  As if inspired by the steeplechase exhibition the day before, Tiz  A Princess jumped the fence back into the turf course down the Canterbury chute, again vaulted the fence back into the infield and then once more onto the track – most likely heading toward the “gap”, the place in the outside fence that opens to the backside; the way home.

Leslie Mawling and Jarreth Loveberry, aboard Battle Chic and Razipat, respectively, were leading the field down the backstretch, headlong toward Tiz A Princess.

Mawing, aboard Battle Chic on the lead, appeared to see the renegade horse first, glancing over his right shoulder to make sure that there was room, slowed and guided his mount to the outside, checking his mount as did Denny Velazquez aboard Little Drama Mama.  Loveberry, who was making a move up the rail aboard Razipat, also checked and slowed as Tiz A Princess moved to the outside of the field.

Mawing, Loveberry, Velazquez and the rest of the jocks were able to avoid the loose horse through awareness of their surroundings and brilliant, heads-up riding in a situation where horses and/or riders could have been seriously hurt…or worse.

Stewards declared the race a no contest.  Wagers on the race were refunded, while horizontal wagers involving race 5 received ALL for that race with the exception of the daily doubles.  The double ending in race 5 was paid a consolation payoff while the double starting with race 5 was refunded.  Given the disruption of the race, no purse money was paid and the race was not an official race.

When available we will provide the written stewards’ explanation of the race.

You can check out the replays on the Canterbury website or through your ADW provider.

EDITOR’S NOTE: According to Canterbury Park officials, all owners were paid $300  per an agreement with the HBPA and all jockeys did receive a mount fee.