Horse Racing: Crazy Final Race at Presque Isle Downs leads to No Contest; triggers memory of Longacres race

6/1/2023

The final race at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA on Thursday evening finished as a “no contest” when a horse dropped it’s rider and went the wrong way. The #1 horse was scratched in the 6-furlong race and so #2 Masterofthehounds with jockey Walber Alencar aboard broke from the inside post of the gate. When the gates opened Masterofthehounds bucked off Alencar and then took a hard left turn out of the 6-furlong chute and started down the wrong way of the 1st turn.

The rest of the field ran on as normal down the backstretch and as the leaders reached near the top of the stretch the riders saw the loose horse alert and the track announcer also announced the loose horse coming down the home stretch the wrong way. All the riders and horses pulled up and eased to the outside of the track as Masterofthehounds made his way up the stretch on the rail. All horses were safe and ok while Alencar was shaken up but ok.

For Longacres fans this may remind some of a race that was 1 1/4-miles and the #1 horse which I can’t remember the name and I believe Hugh Wales was aboard and did the same thing. If you remember the 1 1/4-distance started way back in the chute at the top of the home stretch. When the horse reached the gap of the far turn to the stretch he took a hard left turn throwing Wales off.

The horse started running the wrong way but the trail outrider, Jim Worth, was positioned in the 6-furlong chute and was alerted of the loose horse coming down the backstretch. Worth took off to meet the horse and turned with the horse and forced him to the outside fence running stride for stride while the rest of the horses and jockeys turned for the backstretch.

Jim Worth & JD Taylor courtesy Four Footed Fotos

As the race and the loose horse met all you could see is Worth and his horse keeping the loose horse to the outside fence and averted any trouble at all and with help from the lead outrider JD Taylor they eventually corralled the horse and kept him clear of the rest of the field. It was a remarkable example of horsemanship that the outriders have and help keep the races safe. I remember watching that unfold live and then getting home to see it replayed several times on the 11pm news. This incident yesterday reminded me of that crazy race from years ago, so to be fair there is a chance I have not recalled the details exactly right but I think I am close.

The Longacres race was not called a no-contest and the results went official. However, the Presque Isle race was declared a no-contest since all the horses had to pull-up. The win, place show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets were all refunded. All Daily Double, Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 bets paid off to everyone still alive going into the final race.

The Daily Doubles each paid $1.80, the Pick 3’s each paid $4.20, the Pick 4’s each paid $9.20 and the Pick 5 paid each number $24.95.