Wrecks

VIDEO REPLAYS OF STANDARDBRED RACING WRECKS

THESE LIFE-ALTERING/LIFE-TAKING WRECKS MUST END! THEY ARE NOT GOOD FOR PUBLIC PERCEPTION.

Taking Matters into My Own Hands

 By Tim Finley

Throughout my nearly five decades of being involved in the sport of Standardbred racing, including owning, training, driving a little, and wagering, I have never heard of an aggressive effort to make the sport safer by our leaders (whoever and wherever they are). Of course, there are many well-intentioned non-professional opinions scattered throughout Facebook, but that is non-productive rhetoric.

For many years, I have spent many waking hours trying to design a sulky that would be accepted by the industry that would not hook wheels, in an effort to prevent a potential accident. I failed in discovering that design.

Throughout the last couple of years, I came up with an idea that would change the sport by changing the finish line to be slanted/angled. That design is explained on this website. I have also toyed with the idea of a kite-shaped racetrack that would offer lane racing.

I have witnessed so many wrecks resulting in broken bodies and euthanized horses, that I am taking the steps to make the sport safer by becoming pro-active unaccompanied and at my own expense. I believe I am the only one doing this.

My first AGGRESSIVE step is to collect a series of racing accidents in one section of this website. The next step will be to retain the professional services of an aeronautical engineer to review those accidents and to provide me with a basic analysis of what causes these life-altering and/or life-taking incidents. Furthermore, I am hoping this engineer can provide me with suggestions to lessen the accidents. I will be providing the industry with the results.

Following is a list of those Standardbred accidents from the latest to the previous that will be presented to the engineer for analysis. You are welcome to view them if you have the stomach. There have been several recent accidents for which I do not have the videos, but I am currently in the process of contacting Roberts Communications for their assistance to place those videos on the website.

If you are offended by my posting these videos, then you are a part of the problem and not of the solution.

Note: The collection of videos, nor the descriptions of the horses, trainers, drivers, and owners are still in the process of being collected and posted. Visit again for updates. Thank you.

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Meadowlands – 11/26/2021 – Race 11

https://youtu.be/KvNywIJedfo

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Mohegan Sun Pocono – 10/30/2021 – Race 11

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Monticello – 9/21/2021 – Race 5

Below is a video of 3-year-old Kj Chico in the 5th at Monticello Tuesday: “fell during race…euthanized.”

Kj Chico, according to USTA records, was a 3-year-old So Surreal gelding out of Winsmith Molly, who was by Badlands Hanover. His lifetime 1:56 record was taken this year on a half. In 26 LT starts he won 11, was second 7 times, and third once ($30,458). Trained by Gary Messenger, driven by Jim Taggart, Jr. Kc Chico did not live to enjoy retirement.

https://youtu.be/3KEmgc0B1aE

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Monticello Raceway – 9/16/2021 – Race 4

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Batavia Downs – 8/15/2021 – Race 9

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Meadowlands – 5/29/2021 – Race 7

The euthanizing of INCREDIBLE SHARK.

On Saturday night, May 29, 2021, during the seventh race at the Meadowlands, a wreck caused horses and drivers to fly through the air like rag dolls. I was watching it on the Internet and my heart sank. It looked so horrible, I knew there had to be at least one death of either a horse or driver.

While the Meadowlands crew hurriedly cleaned up the mess, my TV computer screen was absent audio or video. Obviously, the Meadowlands management did not want the public to see the mess. I understand their reluctance, but if you are ashamed of your product, do something to improve it. All racetracks must become pro-active in making the sport safer. Waiting on HISA is too long. Begin now!

After a half hour of waiting, I knew the wreck was a bad one. An intermission that long is a warning there was a death. Eventually the program resumed with not much comment from the handicappers. What could they say? “Sorry it took so long, but we had to kill a horse.”

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On June 15, 2021, a ruling was made regarding this wreck.

Date: June 15, 2021
Ruling Number: 21MDH76
Name: BONGIORNO, JOSEPH (DRIVER)
DOB: 19930923
RCID: 122968

As a result of the administrative hearing conducted on Friday, June 11, 2021, the Board of Judges finds that: Joseph Bongiorno was the driver of the horse PAT STANLEY N in the 7th race on May 29, 2021. While driving PAT STANLEY N Mr. Bongiorno failed to keep the lines reasonably taut during the race; Mr. Bongiorno displayed exaggerated movement with the whip, using more than wrist action and raising his whipping arm to a level above shoulder height; Mr. Bongiorno continued to use the whip to urge his horse after the horse was no longer responding. The culmination of these actions, each of which is a violation of N.J.A.C. 13:71-20.15, placed Mr. Bongiorno in a position of being unable to respond when the horse PAT STANLEY N stumbled and fell, unseating Mr. Bongirono as well as two others drivers. A total of three horses, including PAT STANLEY N, did not finish the race. Mr. Bongiorno’s actions are in violation of N.J.A.C. 13.71-20.15 and N.J.A.C. 13-71-7.9(a)13. As a result, Mr. Bongiorno is hereby suspended from driving for a period of twenty (20) days and fined the sum of five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars. Said suspension shall begin on June 25, 2021 and continue through and including July 14, 2021. Payment of the fine shall be made to the New Jersey Racing Commission on or before July 14, 2021. BY ORDER OF THE NEW JERSEY RACING COMMISSION BOARD OF JUDGES

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Vernon Downs – 5/15/2021 – Race 5

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Meadows on 2/27/17, Race 10

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Cal Expo – Mrach 1, 2014 – Race 11

Saratoga – 8/7/2013 – Race 9

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Buffalo Raceway – 7/12/2013 – Race 3

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Monticello – 6/3/2013 – Race 2

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Meadows – 4/8/2013 – Race 10

https://youtu.be/q4QcBeiACgI

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Freehold Raceway – 5/8/2009 – Race 6

https://youtu.be/PIqVwhkU8GY

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Balmoral – 5/13/2009 – Race 4

https://youtu.be/Muq-SOwJs3A

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Harrah’s Chester Philadelphia – 08/17/2008 – Race 12

https://youtu.be/9T1yqCW4jds

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Northfield Park – 5/24/2008 (Day of the month is questionable) – Race 6

https://youtu.be/j2Dx9B4Efy4

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Scioto Downs – 9/8/2007 – Race 7

https://youtu.be/o5RWvjZUB-I

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Cal Expo – 7/7/2007 – Race 12

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Lebanon Raceway – 3/15/2007 – Race 10

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Scarborough Downs – 6/6/1991 – Race 7

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Yonkers Raceway – 1990 – Race unknown

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