A freak accident at Emerald Downs on Saturday sent two men to the hospital -- one with serious injuries -- and forced one horse to be put down due to its injuries. Just before the third race, two horses broke free in the paddock area, tossing their riders and running loose for a short time. 70-year-old owner Tony Schiro was in the path of one of the oncoming horses, suffering a broken femur and a head injury as a result of the collision.
One of the horses, Wiley Witch, had to be euthanized shortly thereafter due to injuries sustained in the accident. The Seattle Times described the incident, including Schiro's injuries.
After tossing their jockeys, they both ran about an eighth of a mile down the horse pathway toward the stable area, where Wiley Witch collided with a horse owner. The owner, Tony Schiro, 70, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center with a broken femur and a possible head injury, Bruun said.
Jockey Leonel Camacho-Flores was also transported to a local hospital, though his injuries were minor. He was treated and released a short time later. Schiro will reportedly undergo a hip replacement at Harborview, but is expected to make a full recovery.
For more on Emerald Downs and horse racing in general, head over to SB Nation's And Down The Stretch They Come.