“He broke five cervical vertebrae from C-5 through C-9, which is basically from his withers to his head,” said Jester, who served as stallion manager.The 1998 Belmont Stakes, where he lost by a bob of the head to winner Victory Gallop, was one of the great heartbreakers in racing history:
"I asked our stallion manager Chuck (King) what happened when he took Real Quiet to the paddock, and he said the horse walked toward his water, stood out in the middle of the paddock, and looked across the field to some mares on the hill like he always does. He wasn’t out there five minutes when it happened. He had to have reared up, slid, and fell on his left shoulder, and his left shoulder blade drove into his cervical spine area and fractured the vertebrae, which is how New Bolton described it.
“We walked around in the paddock after it happened, and there’s not a skid mark or anything like that. He wasn’t close to the fence. He was right in the middle. He was a smart horse, in great shape, and never did anything stupid.
“Either on the racetrack or as a stallion, Real Quiet always performed at the highest level. He will be greatly missed."
Obituaries--Real Quiet
1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet, 15, died September 27 following a particularly horrible paddock accident:
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Crater Lake National Park Photos 1
Here are a few pictures I took at Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon today, including a couple of them from the historic lodge:
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