Thirty-six tornado warnings sounded through Moore, Oklahoma. Within 16 minutes, the twister touched down. Within an hour, the town was destroyed.
The National Weather Service have now officially declared the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma on Monday as an EF-5, the highest category, which is given when wind speeds are estimated to be over 200 mph. The current estimate for this tornado is 200-210 mph.
Latest estimates are that 24 people have died, although this figure may rise.
While Monday’s deadly tornado aimed at residents of Moore, OK, it also hit many animals as well.
The Orr Family Farm and Celestial Acres Training Center lies inside the 17-mile disaster-zone that the 1.3 mile-wide twister created.
AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Steve Sisney
Celestial Acres had four barns and a total of several hundred stalls. Only one of those barns, on the north side of the five-furlong training track, was left standing after the storm. The facilities also included several paddocks and an 85- by 200-foot arena. The training center was believed to be fairly full, and in addition to Thoroughbreds, the facility housed mainly Quarter Horses at the time. (DRF)
Celestial Acres also frequently consigns yearlings at the Oklahoma Thoroughbred sales. Over the years, the operation has been represented as breeder of several winners at Remington and Lone Star Parks, including 2005 stakes victor High Pioneer.
In the 1990s, stallions At the Threshold and Proper Reality stood at Celestial Acres. (BloodHorse.com)
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