Update on accident at Hiawatha Horsepark

I was at Hiawatha that night with the Guide Leaders of our district. We had a race for our division (race 6 where we got our photo taken with the winning horse and jockey). The accident happened in the first race. Put abit of a damper on the night but we did enjoy ourselves.
Update On Accident At Hiawatha

June 22, 2007

Driver Gord McKnight is in good spirits today after suffering a cracked pelvis in an accident last night at Hiawatha Horse Park.

"He cracked his pelvis so I'm sure he'll be sore for a while," race secretary Dave Walls told Trot Insider this afternoon. Walls had seen McKnight earlier in the day when they arranged to have J N C Diamond transported to Guelph. The horse died tragically in the accident.

"Gord just basically said it happened so quickly he had nowhere to go," said Walls, who witnessed the accident from the announcer's booth. "He left with crutches (en route to the hospital last night). He seems to be fine; he was talking and joking around. Obviously he's going to be very sore in the next little bit."

McKnight's horse, Clever Coquette, fell approaching the half and J N C Diamond (Gord McDonnell) could not avoid them. McDonnell was unharmed but J N C Diamond was killed on impact.

"I'm surprised Gord got up because he got hit so hard," Walls said. "The ambulance got there quickly and our ambulance attendant is very good. They did all the precautions to protect his neck so it might have looked worse than it was, but he was conscious the whole time."

Walls confirmed that McKnight's horse, Clever Coquette, suffered only scratches and superficial wounds.

Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Gord McKnight a speedy recovery, and in offering our condolences to the connections of J N C Diamond.