He went on to win the Preakness and Belmont. The stalls are dangerous, too. The rider also can injure his arms or legs on the bars. The handlers inside the stall also are vulnerable. They can be crushed against the stall walls, kicked or even bitten.
Horses can injure their hoofs, back or head.
Housebuster tore most of his front hoof in the gate and lost the 1991 Breeders Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs. Bettors lost millions on the Pick 6, a national lottery-type wager, when the heavy favorite was injured. A clean break is hard to get once the 26,000-pound gates open and the race begins. The horse must look straight ahead with all four feet down as he awaits the start. If the colt defies jockey and trainer and looks away as the gates open, he might face a one-second deficit before he has taken a step.