Highland Legacy, Canadian champion 2-year-old of 2000, was one of the horses lost in a devastating barn fire at Woodbine. Article about him and his owner from Globe & Mail.

•  Initial story from Woodbine  •  Investigation continues from Woodbine  •  Recovery fund details from Woodbine  •  Woodbine fire from Toronto Star, includes photos  •  Groom saves 56 horses from Toronto Star  •  Owners, staff say goodbye to 32 horses killed in fire from Globe & Mail  •  Toll climbs to 31 horses in the wake of track blaze from Globe & Mail  •  Water mains, lack of sprinklers a factor from Toronto Sun  •  Trainer in shock over loss of 13 horses from Toronto Sun  •  Horse owner heartbroken from Toronto Sun  •  We'll never forget them from Toronto Sun  •  Horses on oxygen from Toronto Sun  •  Woodbine Racetrack fire kills 31 horses from National Post  •  Woodbine Barn Fire Toll: 32 horses died from Blood Horse  •  32 horses confirmed dead in Woodbine fire from Thoroughbred Times  •  Woodbine fire still a mystery from DRF  •  Barn fire toll at 32 horses from DRF  •  Fire's toll hits trainers Owens, O'Callaghan hardest from DRF

Dateline: 8/05/02

The entire scope of losses from a tragic barn fire at Woodbine early Sunday morning are still not totally known. Investigation into the cause continues and hopefully some news will be released soon. Thirty-two thoroughbred horses were lost in the fire, which affected Barns 7 and 7A at approximately 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning. A total of 126 horses were housed in the two barns, most of which, were released during the ordeal by backstretch people, Woodbine security, fire and police personnel. Seventeen stable workers also lived in the barns but all escaped to safety.

The barns are H-shaped, with stalls for 32 horses on each side. Offices, sleeping quarters, and tack rooms are in the adjoining corridors. Thirty fire trucks responded to the alarm only to find the barn engulfed in flames reaching three storeys high. The barn is still cordoned off behind yellow police tape as investigators try to determine the cause of the blaze. Damages to the building could run as high at $1.5 million while the value of the horses lost could top $5 million.

"You can't replace those horses with money," a devastated trainer said before collapsing in tears with friends in the parking lot of the stables. "They mean more than money."

Those trainers directly affected by the fire include Woodbine veterans Steve Owens who lost 14 horses, Danny O'Callaghan who lost 13, Earl Barnett who lost four and Cliff Hopmans who lost one. (see list below for names of horses lost)

Owens had just won on Saturday with Legal Heir. He was preparing to leave for his morning training duties when he got the call about the fire. His wife said: "My husband lost every horse in his barn. They're our family members, you know? They're our babies. We've just stopped crying now." In addition to Legal Heir, Owens lost Highland Legacy, who was the Champion Canadian 2-year-old in 2000 with multiple stakes victories.

Trainer Clif Hopmans told the Daily Racing Form the toll would have been much higher had it not been for the heroic actions of Ernest Twambe, who was one of the first to raise the alarm. "He's a refugee from Zaire who started walking hots for me a couple of months ago," Mr. Hopmans said.

"He was living in my office -- he smelled the smoke, and called 911. Then he went around getting the horses out of their stalls; he probably saved 30 or 40 horses' lives."

Racing was cancelled on Sunday afternoon and a special Thursday afternoon card has been added to make up the races. The $125,000 Seagram Cup Stakes, Sunday's feature event, has been re-scheduled for Wednesday evening.

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