EDMONTON -- A two-year-old horse making it’s first start suffered an injury near the finish line during the third race at Century Mile Racetrack on Saturday evening.

“Had the lead, suffered an injury close to the finish line, ended up falling and dropping the rider,” said Matt Jukich, the racing manager at the racetrack.

A second horse then tripped over the first horse and rider resulting in its rider being thrown off too.

“It was worse just because of the other horse falling over the first horse in the lead,” said Jukich.

On-site paramedics and a veterinarian rushed to the track immediately.

“We did a great job last night getting to both the animal as well as the two riders as quickly as we did,” Jukich said.

“We’ve got two paramedics here that jumped on the riders right away and secured them before we had the ambulances transport them to hospital.”

The two riders, Rafael Zenteno Jr. and Shannon Beauregard suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. How badly the horse was injured is still unknown.

“It was taken back for evaluation by some of the vets, the private vets back there,” said Jukich who is hoping for an update soon.

He said horses are checked multiple times leading up to a race by veterinarians approved by Horse Racing Alberta and private vets.

It’s the second incident at the track since it opened. Jukich said it doesn’t happen very often but that it is a risk of the sport.

“Unfortunately these riders take risks getting on the backs of these animals going 40 miles an hour and we wish the best for Rafael and Shannon.”