Southern California trainer Peter Eurton was back at Del Mar on the morning of July 24 after he was savaged three days earlier during a gate training session.
Eurton, 53, termed the incident "the worst ever" injury incident in his training career. "Very scary," he said as he watched from the clubhouse boxes as horses went through their morning exercises.
Eurton, now recovering well after being hospitalized, said he was aboard his pony accompanying one of his horses, who was not identified, to the starting gate in the morning.
"We were behind the gate at the time and the rider got off the horse because he was acting up," Eurton began. "The horse then reared up and got away from his handlers. They got him to turn back behind the gate and he came right toward me and my pony.
"I turned the pony and the horse grabbed me in the back, picked me up and threw me down to the ground. I landed on my head, but fortunately I was wearing my helmet so I wasn't injured that way. But I have a huge hematoma on my back and a big bruise on my right knee."
Eurton expressed gratitude for the way the gate crew saved him from further harm by getting the unruly horse to turn away from him.