Cranbourne trainer Stephen Theodore’s classy two year old Crack A Roadie was killed this morning in a freak traffic accident.
Crack A Roadie winning on debut in the Inglis Banner at Moonee Valley. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The potential star broke free from his attendant following a session on the water walker and was hit by truck as he ran out the gate and was killed instantly.
Theodore received the dreadful news while on his way to the Bairnsdale races and while being devastated vowed to start searching for another good one to replace his stable star.
“I’m absolutely shattered and so are the owners. We’re just going to put our heads down and find another one and continue on,” Theodore said.
“It’s no one’s fault, no one is to blame. It’s a freak thing that happened.”
“He had been on the water walker and I understand he was having a pick (of grass) to dry off when he broke loose. He ran out a gate and was cleaned up by a passing truck,”
Crack A Roadie had been gelded after finishing last of fourteen behind Miracles Of Life in the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 23 and was in pre training preparing for his return to racing.
The Charge Forward youngster won his first start in a race in the $250,000 Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley on October 27 before running second down the Flemington straight in the Group 3 $150,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) on November 10.
“He was my number one horse. We had just gelded him and he was getting ready to show every one exactly how dynamic he is,” Theodore said.
“This has ripped my heart out.”
Crack A Roadie collected $177,00 from a win and a second from three race starts and will be sadly missed from Theodore’s Cranbourne stables.
Theodore was also out of luck at Bairnsdale with his only runner French Butterfly finishing a close seventh in the 1600m 0-62 Handicap for fillies and mares.
