Los Alamitos Race Course head starter Gary Brinson.

© Los Alamitos Race Course

LOS ALAMITOS, CA–DECEMBER 16, 2024–Los Alamitos head starter Gary Brinson was his usual jovial self on Monday morning, a day after getting knocked to the ground by a horse that broke through the gate as the field waited for the start of the second race on Sunday afternoon.

The horse, the 5-year-old Thoroughbred Stormy Samurai, a veteran of 41 starts, including 14 outings and three victories this year, was also doing well while back in his usual stall on Monday morning, with a few cuts but otherwise unscathed from the incident according to trainer Sergio Morfin.

Brinson received stitches above his eyebrow because of the collision and then returned on Sunday night to finish out the second half of the day/night racing doubleheader at Los Alamitos, which included the running of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity for Quarter Horses. 

Highly respected throughout the industry, Brinson has been a starter at Southern California tracks for 30 years. He was the longtime starter at Hollywood Park and Del Mar before beginning his stint at Los Alamitos in June of 2014. Brinson was presented with the Sam Thompson Award by the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association in recognition for his leadership in the racing community at Los Alamitos. 

"I didn't want to miss the big race," Brinson said. "I was back for the third race and then started the last few races. I tried to catch the horse. It was the horse's bit that gave me the cut over my eyes. Sergio called me last night. He felt bad about it, but it was just one of those things. We've worked with this horse during morning training several times and the horse has always stood there like a puppy dog. It was just one of those things."

When Stormy Samurai broke through the gate, he veered in sharply towards the starter. After making contact with Brinson, the chestnut gelding ran a few more yards down the track eventually making contact with the rail, sliding on the safety rail and then falling on the ground about 10 yards away from the starter.

Several members of the gate crew quickly rushed to assist Brinson and Stormy Samurai with one of the assistant starters sprinting to safely grab a hold of the horse.

"Stormy Samurai is fine," Morfin said. "We got his cuts treated. He needed a few stitches and other than that, he's doing good. It made me feel good to talk to Gary last night. We work together and he does a great job. I was just happy that he was back."

Live racing resumes this weekend at Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday and Sunday for the final two nights of the 2024 racing season. The next meet will open on Saturday night, December 28. 

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For more information, please get in touch with larace@losalamitos.com. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.