Drivers Preston Shaw, 30, and Nathan Sobey, 33, have been sidelined indefinitely after bearing the brunt of a multiple-horse accident that occurred on Wednesday, June 18 at Century Downs.
Both reinsmen, who are among the top 10 drivers at the Calgary area oval, were transported to hospital with injuries following an accident that occurred in the first turn of the third race on Wednesday evening's card when My Dragon Rocks, driven by Sobey, broke stride while racing in third and fell, causing a chain reaction that involved the trailing horses, including Shaw and Matchmakers Pick. The race was declared a No Contest.
Shaw's wife Emily provided an update in a social media post early Thursday morning, stating, "He’s pretty banged up but incredibly lucky. We’re spending a couple days in ICU with a bad concussion and five broken ribs, but he’s in good hands. Thank you for all the calls and messages — we’re feeling very grateful he’s okay."
Sobey told Trot Insider that he also sustained broken bones in the accident.
"I’ve got a cracked shoulder blade and a piece broke off my T2 vertebrae," he reported.
Phil Giesbrecht, who was driving AK Eagle and was also unseated in the spill, will be off his drives this evening as a precaution due to soreness but the 36-year-old driver is expected to be back in action on Saturday.
The Horse Racing Alberta Judges' Report indicated that Oscar The Grouch, driven by Kelly Hoerdt, and Open Fire, with Jamie Gray in the sulky, were also involved and that Open Fire was "vanned off the racetrack."
Both Hoerdt and Gray resumed driving on Wednesday night.
Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing all drivers and horses involved a full and speedy recovery.
(Standardbred Canada)
