A race horse from Turfway Park escaped and took to the streets on the night of Friday, Feb. 2.
The circumstances of the horse’s escape are unknown, but upon getting out, it fled northbound on I-75 away from Florence and into Erlanger. Videos posted on social media show the horse galloping down the interstate. Drivers nearby dutifully turned on their hazard lights and slowed down.
Police communications indicate that Turfway had dispatched “wranglers” to capture the horse. Elranger Police officers tried to help by boxing in the horse with their cruisers.
“At one point, the horse ran full gallop southbound in the northbound lanes into the rear of ER10’s police cruiser, causing damage to his trunk,” a police summary of the incident said. The car was damaged, but no humans were injured throughout the ordeal. Body cam footage show the police attempting to corral the horse.
The horse fell down after striking the car… only to get back up and continue making a break for it.
The pursuit continued, and finally police officers and wranglers were able to capture the horse. Police communications indicate the horse had seemingly suffered injuries to its underside, but the extent of these injuries has not been confirmed. Photos from the incident show the horse still standing upon its recapture.
“As soon as he got out, they sent a vet up there on a four wheeler,” Erlanger Police Chief Kyle Rader said.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission dispatched a veterinarian, Nick Smith, to retrieve the horse. Smith loaded the horse into a trailer and took it back to Turfway.
Smith declined to comment on the situation, and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission had not yet responded on the record to LINK nky’s inquiries at the time of this article’s publication. As such, the fate of the horse is currently unknown.