Woodbine cancels Sunday card after 2 fatalities in Saturday races

Woodbine cancelled its scheduled race card for Sunday as a precautionary measure to prioritize the safety and well-being of the horses and jockeys.

The move came after two horses were injured during the second and eighth races Saturday and were euthanized as a result. Daily Racing Form reported that a third horse died during Saturday morning workouts.

The decision to cancel was made after consulting with key industry partners, including the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the Jockeys' Guild, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. This follows the cancellation of the final two races of Saturday’s card because of safety concerns with the all-weather main track. Additionally, training on the all-weather main track was suspended Sunday morning.

Woodbine is currently performing track maintenance and closely reviewing track conditions, which includes meeting with its Tapeta consultants. These efforts will continue throughout the day, with racing and training activities set to resume only when it is deemed safe to do so.

"The safety of our horses and jockeys is always our highest priority," said Bill Ford, executive vice president of racing at Woodbine. "In consultation with our industry partners, we have decided to take these precautionary steps to ensure that the track conditions meet the highest safety standards. Woodbine has long been recognized as one of the safest racetracks in North America, and we are committed to maintaining that reputation by thoroughly assessing and addressing any issues."

Woodbine will continue to provide updates as efforts progress and decisions regarding the resumption of training and racing are made.