How SCARY is this????

Question

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f25rYfahlfA&feature=related

I just ran across this video - how terrifying and how completely tragic this could have been??

Can anyone tell me if this kind of thing happens occasionally....or is this a total freak thing?

I still don't see what move Calvin made to get all of the horses to pull up...and that the announcer mentions. Can anyone point it out to me? I mean, obviously I see them all stopping...but I don't see what he did first? Maybe a time that it happened and what I am looking for?

Also, wasn't that funny how the announcer was focused on the track and had no idea what was going on? LOL!!

CRAZY!!!

Thoughts, opinions, comments, answers? :-)

Answer 1

Almost terrifying and unbelievable.

Answer 2

I have seen this before.  You might have noticed that I commented on it on the youtube page ;o)

Watch at 1:30 in the video.  Calvin is the one in the front.  He's wearing blue silks, his horse is the 8 with the pink saddle blanket, the horse has a red shadow roll on its noseband... anyway, at 1:30 the horses have just turned for home... you can see Calvin stand up on his horse and turn back, he waves his arm and you can tell that he's yelling at all the other jocks to pull up.

I heard of this happening one other time and the result wasn't as good as what happened here.  It must be extremely rare.  I'm pretty sure they keep the tractors that pull the gate very well maintenenced.

I too think it's really funny that the announcer didn't notice that the gate was still there until the horses came to the stretch.  It's like... that thing was right in front of you the whole race and you didn't know until then?  However, I've been in an announcer's booth before and I know they have binoculars glued to their eyes during the race to say what's happening on the backstretch, so I guess they wouldn't have seen what's in the home stretch until the horses turned for home.

What I think is really funny is that at the end of the video, the inquiry sign comes up on the tote board.  Duh, of course there's an inquiry!  Someone left the freakin gate in the way!

Answer 3

gosh, thad' be awfull.

Answer 4

The announcer is concentrating on all 11 horses to call the race; not an easy task ; there's no reason for him to look at the starting gate again.

The starting gate manager probably got his race numbers mixed up and thought that the gate wouldn't be in the way for this race. He probably lost his job for this goof. Everyone betting on this race gets a refund ; the track loses the revenues from this race and the cashiers do a lot of unnecessary work.  And all the time wasted for the owners

and trainers.

Just another sports blooper.

Answer 5

unbelievable. only in america

Answer 6

Not like the horses have enough issues.  The guy infront stuck his arm out to get them to stop.  I am sure they could also see it still in the way also.  But he stuck his arm out and looked back.  I am sure he shouted something at them.

Answer 7

never in my life have I seen that

My brother in law works at the gate's in calif and I called him to show him this,he  never has he, seen it either

whoa boy I am surprised the other jockeys did not see it until the first one waved his hands to look out

amazing ???????

Answer 8

never ever seen that before! or anything like it.

and when the enquiry sigh flashes up...... LOL!