On this day: April 28

Horse Bolts from Gate and Wins Alone in 1971 Race

On April 28, 1971, a Thoroughbred broke through the starting gate and ran the full course without jockey guidance, completing and winning the race alone—a rare instance of a horse carrying its own momentum to victory.

Horse Escapes Gate and Wins Solo in 1971 Race

In a rare racing incident on April 28, 1971, a horse bolted through an open gate and ran alone to win its race after other starters were delayed—an unusual outcome noted in contemporary reports.

Early U.S. Poisoning Prompts First Documented Consumer Product Recall (April 28, 1932)

On April 28, 1932, U.S. health authorities and manufacturers responded to documented poisonings traced to a consumer antiseptic, marking what is widely cited as the first known formal recall of a consumer product in American history.

First U.S. Consumer Product Recall Traced to 1932 Poisonings

On April 28 (year disputed), investigations into acute poisonings linked to a widely sold patent medicine prompted what newspapers and public-health historians describe as the first documented U.S. consumer product recall, highlighting early tensions between commerce and public safety.

France’s First Recorded Automobile Race, Paris–Rouen, April 28, 1894

On April 28, 1894, the Paris–Rouen trial, organized by Le Petit Journal, ran as the first widely recognized automobile competition: a judged contest of reliability and safety over roughly 126 km between Paris and Rouen that helped launch public interest in horseless vehicles.