Racing drama as horse breaks through rail and veers off course in chaotic scenes

Two-year-old horse Watershed Moment made an unforgettable debut at Del Mar as she smashed through a set of railings after looking nailed on to win. The filly looked to be a sure thing heading into the final stretch, but a sudden veer to the left led to chaos. Apprentice jockey Armando Ayuso somehow managed to cling on as his ride burst through the plastic railing, leaving plenty of debris in their wake.

looked on course to land a 12/1 victory on debut but unsurprisingly failed to place after the change of direction. While Watershed Moment's bizarre decision-making saw her take a literal turn for the worse, fans were quick to praise the new railing that meant both the jockey and horse were left unharmed. "An example of the plastic running rails helping keep horses and riders safe," one viewer said.



Another fan agreed, writing: "Definitely a better option." "Thank goodness this came out looking a lot better than it could've been. And also every track needs this rail for the grass," a third viewer chimed in.

"Agreed! Was watching this race and it could have been disastrous for the horse and jockey without that breakaway rail," replied another fan. Jockey Ayuso also received plaudits for his exceptional control of Watershed Moment during such a perilous moment. Remarkably, no one was injured, largely due to the rider's cool-headedness.

Watershed Moment's split-second panic gave the rest of the field a chance to steal the victory. The unexpected beneficiary turned out to be Ce La Vi Charli, a 25/1 underdog, who took over late in the race to win by half a length, triumphantly kickstarting her career. As for Watershed Moment, it's an understatement to say she needs to go back to basics and has plenty of lessons to learn before returning to the track.

However, the offspring of Rebel Stakes-winner Omaha Beach may well bounce back, having shown promise at Del Mar before disaster struck..