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UPDATE: Leave it to Bern expected to be 'put down'

- Top horse broke leg during training mishap
Information just reaching Virgin Islands News Online indicates that rising speedster Leave it to Bern has been diagnosed as having a broken leg and is expected to be put down soon. Photo: VINO
The horse, now in the stables after having the affected leg wrapped, is expected to receive an x-ray shortly from a veterinarian before the full extent of the injury can be determined. Photo: VINO
The horse, now in the stables after having the affected leg wrapped, is expected to receive an x-ray shortly from a veterinarian before the full extent of the injury can be determined. Photo: VINO
Exercise jockey David Campbell aka Jamdown explained that the horse was ‘breezing’ well through his 4-furlong run and the two were just wrapping up the horse’s morning exercise when Bern tripped on a leg bandage. Photo: VINO/File
Exercise jockey David Campbell aka Jamdown explained that the horse was ‘breezing’ well through his 4-furlong run and the two were just wrapping up the horse’s morning exercise when Bern tripped on a leg bandage. Photo: VINO/File
Campbell suffered a minor injury to his left knee during the mishap. Photo: VINO
Campbell suffered a minor injury to his left knee during the mishap. Photo: VINO
Since his debut this year, Leave it to Bern has earned back to back victories including the Labour Day races at the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in St. Thomas USVI. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson/File
Since his debut this year, Leave it to Bern has earned back to back victories including the Labour Day races at the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in St. Thomas USVI. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson/File
He duplicated the success by winning on local soil at Tortola, Virgin Islands' Ellis Thomas Downs on November 17, 2013 which gives him 3 out of 3 wins. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
He duplicated the success by winning on local soil at Tortola, Virgin Islands' Ellis Thomas Downs on November 17, 2013 which gives him 3 out of 3 wins. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI – Information just reaching Virgin Islands News Online indicates that rising speedster Leave it to Bern has been diagnosed as having a broken leg and is expected to be 'put down' soon.

The horse was scheduled to be checked by a Veterinarian following an injury received during training on Saturday, December 7, 2013 and it was later indicated that the horse’s leg had indeed been broken.

When contacted, horse owner Rodney Simmons declined to offer any comment on the matter stating that he had no information to offer.

Leave it to Bern’s profile had steadily risen after successive victories in his first few races, including a win in the Labour Day races at the at the Clinton E. Phipps racetrack in St Thomas, USVI in September.

President of the VI Horse Owner’s Association, Mrs Karen Smith-Aaron could not say how the horse’s absence might impact upcoming Boxing Day races as entries are not due until later this week but noted that his demise would be a great loss to the sport.

See previous story posted December 7, 2013:

Leave it to Bern injured during training

- Extent of injury still unclear but likely to miss Boxing Day races

SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI – The Boys Stable and the VI horse racing fraternity at large were dealt a heavy blow today, December 7, 2013 as rising star, Leave it to Bern suffered a severe injury to his left foreleg during his morning training session at Ellis Thomas Downs. The incident reportedly occurred just after 6 A.M.

Speaking exclusively with Virgin Islands News Online exercise jockey David Campbell aka Jamdown explained that the horse was ‘breezing’ well through his 4-furlong run and the two were just wrapping up the horse’s morning exercise when Bern tripped on a leg bandage and fell abruptly throwing Campbell as he fell. Campbell suffered a minor injury to his left knee during the mishap.

The horse, now in the stables after having the affected leg wrapped, is expected to receive an x-ray shortly from a veterinarian before the full extent of the injury can be determined but trainer, Enos Aaron, denied that the leg was broken.

Reports suggest that the horse will now be unable to participate in the upcoming Boxing Day races at Ellis Thomas Downs.

President of the VI Horse Owners’ Association Karen Smith-Aaron could not be reached for comment on the issue up to post time.

Since his debut this year, Leave it to Bern has earned back to back victories including the Labour Day races at the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in St. Thomas USVI and has duplicated the success by winning on local soil at Tortola, Virgin Islands' Ellis Thomas Downs on November 17, 2013 which gives him 3 out of 3 wins.

29 Responses to “UPDATE: Leave it to Bern expected to be 'put down'”

  • Binocs (07/12/2013, 13:37) Like (6) Dislike (10) Reply
    See that power hungry minister spent all his day blogging and would not put money in to maintain the race tack...Seems like we will lose all our horse on that track until the next election
    • eye witness (07/12/2013, 21:25) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
      TO SAD; Now now now please stop!!! Do not take your dislike for the iron lady minister over board. The injury had nothing to do with the surface of the track...the trainer place the band on the leg and did not tape it properly resulting in it coming off and the horse tripping on it and injuring her leg.

      People get the facts right before you go after people
    • Hmm (08/12/2013, 11:01) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply

      The owner said the horse.tripped.on.a.bandage but you here talking.f...!

      • POPE (08/12/2013, 15:53) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
        They just hate myron that's all
        • @ POPE (08/12/2013, 22:16) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
          please any body got dem people to study
          • uh (09/12/2013, 14:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
            to @ Pope:

            You would be surprised! in case you new take a breeze through the comments on all the articles you would see who have who to study....ooooo on top of the list!
        • pet (08/12/2013, 22:39) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
          ...never write anything after a heavy nights drinking, it is unwise and leads to many regrets.

  • race (07/12/2013, 14:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    anoter one bites the dust
  • budy (07/12/2013, 14:22) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dam it to hell man oh God another blow. What's wrong with we budy.
  • JA (07/12/2013, 14:30) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    What BS you talking the horse trip on his bandage wrapping .
  • xxxxxxxx (07/12/2013, 14:34) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    after 3 in a row .. now this very sad!!!
  • weed (07/12/2013, 15:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    hope it was not the racetrack
  • dr do lil (08/12/2013, 01:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Looking at deeds photos I will not be surprised if he is put down
  • Black vi man (08/12/2013, 08:09) Like (0) Dislike (6) Reply
    PUT OUR MONEYS IN MORE LAND AND BUSINESS .CAUSE THE WHITE MAN LOVES TO SEE THAT. BLACK MAN MONEYS GO IN BROKEN DOWN HORSES WHILE HE GETS ALL KINDS OF BIG LAND AND BUSINES LET THE RICH GET RICH AND THE POOR BE POOR
  • tola (08/12/2013, 11:36) Like (1) Dislike (5) Reply
    You people need to stop your shit. And negative comments about the minister he is the only one doing. Or trying to do things rather than all this negativity come together and offer solutions even help to bring positive change and results
  • rail (08/12/2013, 16:47) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    What a blow to horse racing
  • school children (08/12/2013, 21:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We heard that st.thomas lost a horse also.
  • DIVA (08/12/2013, 22:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    That injury doesn't look good. I'll be surprised if the results of the xrays looks promising. So sorry to see this happen.
  • egg face (09/12/2013, 08:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We need a vet assigned to the race track
  • VIlander (09/12/2013, 11:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What some don't realize is horseracing brings a lot of $$$ back into the BVI that is spent in St.Thomas while shopping etc. The government loses more $$$ by throwing $$ away for purses & grants while not having a private entity manage the track as an economic enterprise. So we use the pari-mutuel betting online or Phipps or James's track.

    Having your nose in the cloud an not understanding your environment is why some of these selfappointed geniuses miss the basics in this civil society. Y does that stable not invest in hiring a regular vet or someone bring a vet to work for them b/c they keep losing on these investments for lack of proper management
  • Thing to talk (09/12/2013, 15:07) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
    a vet isn't someone you can hire. you think de sitting down waiting for you to hire them? they are doctors who have their own business. if the govt had only hired real and educated vets. we wouldn't be in the problem we are in now . It cost money to bring qualified vets from off island and den when de come , immigration ready to send den back. How can we go forward with these kinds of problems ? and on top of it all the real problems with the racetrack are not being taken care of. all your ministers doing is putting a bandaid on a open wound! As usual they build us up on promises when de looking 'OUR' X.
  • vex (09/12/2013, 18:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    this brought tears to my eyes
  • denise (09/12/2013, 18:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    HOPE ITS NOT Animal abuse
  • Take that in your MS (11/12/2013, 09:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    common sense coulda tell he to tape up the bandage. yet again thats wha you get when you hire island people to take care of your animals. 

  • Good Bye (11/12/2013, 17:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    IS HE DEAD YET?
  • pr.horseman (12/12/2013, 06:01) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Yes, a vet can be hire to stay at track during races. So simple.


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