Racer Athletics: No serious injuries in Racer One incident on Saturday | News

Meanwhile, the gray horse – whose real name is Vegas – completed the turn without his rider and raced into the backstretch behind the visitors' bench, now also bareback. The handlers of the Hutson School of Agriculture's Racer One team soon had the horse firmly under control and calmly led him back to his pasture area, where he and his jockey usually rest during games until it's time to run after a Murray State touchdown.

Meanwhile, representatives from various agencies – including the Murray State Police Department and the Murray-Calloway County Ambulance Service – immediately rushed to the aid of the prone Presley, who is in her first year as Racer One's jockey. After several minutes, she was placed on a stretcher and taken to a waiting ambulance. To the relief of everyone in the stadium, however, Presley was able to raise both arms while on the stretcher and give Murray State's “Shoes Up” signal, for which she received thunderous applause.

A spokesman for Murray State Athletics said Saturday night that Presley was taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital but was treated and released. Vegas is not believed to have been injured. Her status for next week's home game against Mississippi Valley State is still unknown.

Horses have been a tradition at football games since the start of the 1976 season, and incidents like Saturday's have become rare. But when they do occur, they are troubling. In 1991, the horse slipped and actually fell on its belly while making a routine run to test a wet track well before the game. No injuries occurred.

In 2008, the horse suddenly left the track and ran through the south end zone after apparently becoming spooked during the pregame of the home game against UT Martin. No injuries were reported, but a photographer narrowly escaped as he waited for the horse and jockey to exit the first turn and aimed his camera away from the oncoming horse. He just noticed what was happening and jumped out of the way.

The most serious incident occurred in 2011. Former Hutson School Dean Dr. Tony Brannon said jockey Tim Busse fell from his horse – almost in the same spot where Presley crashed on the first turn on Saturday – and broke his collarbone in his fall on Senior Day.

In all cases, including Saturday, the horse was not allowed to continue running during the games. Racehorse One was taken out of the stadium at the start of the first quarter on Saturday.