Oaklawn Park Assistant Starter Injured

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Oaklawn Park assistant starter Ben Ewing suffered a head injury while loading horses for the eighth race on at the Arkansas track on March 11.

Ewing, 55, was knocked unconscious for several minutes, but awakened eventually as track EMT’s and fellow starters rushed to his aid. He was transported to nearby St. Joseph Mercy Health Center in Hot Springs where he was listed in stable condition as of 6 p.m.

The accident delayed the start of the race for 24 minutes. Once Ewing, the father of Oaklawn Park outrider Chism Ewing, was safely on his way to the hospital, the field, which had returned to the paddock, was allowed back on the track and loaded the second time without incident.

However, soon after the break, the heavily favored Honey Bunch unseated her rider, Cliff Berry, and jumped the rail into the infield. Both horse and rider were unharmed. The race was won by longshot Missippi Martini, who returned $37.40 for the win.

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