Pace Car Loses Control, Skids Into Path Of Horses At Freehold Raceway

FREEHOLD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - The slick conditions Friday led to a freak accident at the Freehold Raceway.

Several drivers were injured around 2 p.m. when the pace car lost control on the water-logged track.

As CBS 2's Lou Young reported, the incident occurred during the fifth race of the day.

The trotters were moving behind the pace car, a familiar sight to racegoers.

The gates on each side of the car retracted as they are supposed to and then the car sped ahead to let the horses begin their run.

But as the car tried to maneuver a turn, it seemed to have lost traction and began a long skid that eventually sent it drifting into the path of the racers.

Several horses ran loose as a result.

"Oh we have an accident on the track, we have an accident on the track. Drivers down, the car has crashed into the horses. Please hold all tickets. We have loose horses on the track," the announcer said.

The crash injured five of the six drivers in the race. Four were taken to Central Jersey Medical Center with bruises and broken bones.

A fifth driver was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center with possible internal injuries.

The horses appeared to have escaped serious injury, Young reported.

The race was declared a no contest and the remaining six races planned for the day were canceled.

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