Two horses that escaped from the backside of River Downs Racetrack were struck and killed by a truck in the early morning hours of June 26, according to John Englehardt, director of publicity at the Cincinnati, Ohio-area oval.
According to Englehardt, the two horses, 5-year-old Eddie McGrath and 3-year-old Arrowhead Harry, were reportedly fighting outside the barn of trainer Israel Sostre, who trains Eddie McGrath, around 2:30 a.m.
Trainer Sostre heard the two stallions fighting in the early hours of the morning. Both horses had broken their webbing and were at the end of the shedrow. " I walked around the corner and tried to catch them, but they went flying by, that was early this morning, " said Sostre.
Security guards attempted to stop the pair as they raced towards the path next to the guard shack but were unsuccessful in the early morning hours. "We searched everywhere for them, I thought maybe they had run to the woods, everybody was looking for them when the sheriff came and told me what happened," said Sostre. "That was about 3:30 this morning."
The two horses began racing each other and ended up on route 52, a four-lane highway that runs along the Ohio River and were struck by the pickup at about 2:30 a.m., according to the sheriffs departmen
Eddie McGrath (Western Miner-Lady Anahid, by Benefice) was owned by El Coqui Racing Stable. The unraced Arrowhead Harry (Sligo Bay-Treasure Coast Gem, by Mutakddim) was trained by Leroy Simon.
The name of the driver of the pickup truck was unavailable, but he did reportedly receive minor injuries.
Ron Mitchell contributed to this story.