This horrible harness horse racing accident at Freehold Raceway was human error. Whether it was the driver of the car, who may have accelerated too quickly, or maybe the tires on the car were not maintained or maybe the blame lies on the track superintendent who approved the track conditions to be safe for racing. Maybe the track super recommended cancelling, but race track management ignored the advice. We will never know because it is doubtful someone will take responsibility for this tragedy. The stewards also are responsible for making calls on track safety. The drivers of standardbred race horses and the jockeys of thoroughbred race horses have a hard time making decisions based on track conditions because the jockey colony usually has a spokesman or jockey representative who makes the ultimate call whether to race or not. If only a few drivers or jockeys feel the track is unsafe, then the racing will go on without them and they will be fined or suspended. On the other hand, if the drivers or jockeys stick together and say they will not race under these dangerous track conditions they can all be fined. This is not always the case, but sometimes everyone has a different opinion on track condition and safety and it's hard to sort out, especially since there is more pressure toward not cancelling. There are different protocols for different tracks, but someone needs to stand up and make the right decision no matter how much money is at stake. Sure this is a hindsight situation, but it was also another preventable horse racing accident where horses who have no voice, were harmed. These standardbred horses are strapped into a harness and sometimes hobbled so their agility is very limited. Thoroughbreds can at least move freely and avoid hazards on the track, like a starting gate that gets stuck on the race track, and that happens more than you would think. Both these situations are very rare and this is the first time I have seen the gate car skid out of control and back into the horses, but plain and simple, it was human error that risked the lives of the drivers and race horses. The point is, that horse racing is an inherently risky game and humans must do everything necessary to protect the welfare of the race horses who have no control of accidents such as the gate car crashing into them. These horse were trained to do what they do and they trust the driver is going to get them from behind the starting gate car to the finish line safely. Race: 5 - Freehold Raceway - PURSE: $ 4,300 GAIT: TROT- Early Betting - DIST : 1 Mile - STRS: 8 PP Horse Driver Clm. Med. 1 Civic Duty James Clarry $0 2 Big Sky Angelina Cat Manzi $0 L 3 Special Command Jim Marshall III $0 4 Silver Delivery Debra Rucker $0 L 5 Redwhitenbluestone Vincent Ginsburg $0 L 6 Brilliant Chief Chris Scicluna $0 7 Muscleslikesparty Jim Pantaleano $0 L 8 Region Hall Rick Pantano $0 L How the starter crashes the gate car into the race horses, while skidding out of control, we may never know, but maybe the tragedy at Freehold Raceway wouldn't have happened if horse and driver's safety came before the almighty dollar. I guarantee you if management wasn't so concerned about how much money they would lose for cancelling races that day, this would not have happened. The stewards don't even have the ultimate decision for cancelling races because they are answering to race track management. Again, this may not be true at all tracks, and might not be true in this situation, but I am sure this harness racing accident at freehold raceway will change protocol because this was preventable.

• published: 11 Jan 2014
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