Wake At Noon, the 2002 Canadian Horse of the Year, was euthanized June 29 after breaking down on the Woodbine training track, according to the Toronto Star.
Wake At Noon, who was 13, had been sent from owner Bruno Schickedanz’ Select Stud near Ketteby, Ontario, for a workout.
“He spooked from another horse and took a bad step,” Schickedanz told the Star. “I feel terrible about it.”
Horses older than 10 that haven’t won in the last year are ineligible to race at Woodbine.
During his racing career, Wake At Noon stood several seasons at stud and returned to the track. He last raced at age 10 in 2007.
“He was not getting any mares in foal,” Schickedanz told the Star. “This spring, he was shooting blanks, so he had been training at my farm for a few months.
“I wanted to send him to Woodbine and see what he would do in a workout. He’s been acting like a 3-year-old at the farm. I had plans to send him to Mountaineer Park in West Virginia.”
Wake At Noon, who also was 2002 champion sprinter and older male, won 21 of 67 races and earned $1,681,386. Thirteen of his wins came in stakes.
Wake At Noon was by Cure the Blues out of the Silver Deputy mare Sermon Time,
Woodbine is investigating how a horse ineligible to race got on track property.
