Jockey's Guild

The Jockeys' Guild on Friday issued a statement defending jockey Luan Machado one day after news broke that the 10-year veteran rider was being sued in a Kentucky court by the owner and breeder of a horse he rode at Churchill Downs in November who lost by a neck but likely would have won if Machado hadn't prematurely geared him down with a 2 1/2-length lead inside the eighth pole. The Guild's press release Feb. 28 stated that the allegations asserted against Machado "are utterly baseless." The Guild's statement continued:...

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and the Jockeys' Guild agreed to a new scale of mount fees for jockeys who ride at NYRA tracks which will take effect Feb. 1, according to a Wednesday release from the Guild. Under the new fee agreement, jockeys will receive a minimum of a $125 losing mount fee for races at all NYRA racetracks as well as a $500 minimum fee in races with purses of $1 million or more. This scale also includes a 4th place incentive. "We have come to...

John Velazquez and Mike Smith were elected co-chairmen of The Jockeys' Guild when the organization hosted its annual assembly virtually Jan. 14. Javier Castellano, Julien Leparoux and James Flores were elected co-vice chairmen, Tyler Gaffalione as secretary and Julien Leparoux as treasurer. In addition, Joe Bravo, Drayden Van Dyke, James Graham and Rodney Prescott will serve on the Board of Directors. Senate members for the guild in 2025-2026 are: Eastern region: Joe Bravo, Kendrick Carmouche, Javier Castellano, Frankie Dettori, Reylu Gutierrez, Flavien Prat, Sheldon Russell, Drayden Van Dyke and John...

Responding to a rash of recent breakdowns at Woodbine, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), which regulates racing in the province, has taken steps it hopes will lead to fewer injuries. Woodbine has now had six fatalities since the Nov. 9 card in which two horses died and the remainder of the day's program was cancelled, as was the next scheduled day of racing. The biggest change is that any horse that has raced within the previous 14 calendar days is ineligible to race and will be scratched...

With a horse having to be euthanized Thursday at Woodbine and another one on Friday, the Toronto-area track has now had six fatalities since the Nov. 9 card in which two horses died and the remainder of the day's program was cancelled, as was the next scheduled day of racing. Woodbine's Tapeta surface has long been considered to be one of the safest tracks in North America, which makes the rash of breakdowns particularly unusual. "We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in continuous communication with our regulator, veterinarians,...

After a nine-day delay to fix safety concerns that pushed back the opening of the 2024-25 racing season at Turf Paradise from Nov. 2 to Nov. 11, horsemen, jockeys, regulators and track management were all largely in concurrence Friday that the first four days of racing at the Arizona track this past Monday through Thursday were conducted in safe and sustainable fashion. The largely positive reviews and glowing articulations of cooperation at the Nov. 15 Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) meeting stood out in contrast to the contention and infighting that...

Woodbine, which cancelled both racing and training effective two races before the end of Saturday's card after three separate incidents on the Tapeta surface, will reopen to training Wednesday morning and is scheduled to resume live racing Thursday. The all-weather surface underwent "a thorough review and extensive maintenance conducted over the last couple of days," said officials from Woodbine Entertainment in a Wednesday afternoon release. "The safety of our horses and riders is our highest priority and we have been working diligently over the last couple of days to ensure...

Woodbine Entertainment has cancelled training and the scheduled race card for Sunday, Nov. 10, as a precautionary measure to prioritize the safety and well-being of the horses and jockeys after three catastrophic breakdowns took place on Saturday, the track said in a release early on Sunday morning. On Saturday morning during workouts at Woodbine, an unnamed horse suffered a breakdown. During the second race on the card, Social Dancer (Society's Chairman) took an awkward step at the half-mile marker, had to be eased and was then vanned off via equine...

The final two races on Saturday's live racing program at Woodbine outside of Toronto, including the GIII Autumn Stakes, were cancelled "in the best interest of equine safety," according to a release from Woodbine Entertainment Group. The decision was taken following consultation with the local Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, the Jockeys' Guild and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The track successfully staged two of the three graded events carded for Saturday, the GIII Maple Leaf Stakes and the GIII Bessarabian Stakes. The Autumn Stakes will not...

Edited Press Release At the conclusion of the first day of the International Jockey Concussion, Safety and Wellness Conference, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), in collaboration with Jockeys' Guild, announced that they are launching a major initiative to support jockey well-being. As announced by HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus and Jockeys' Guild President Terry Meyocks, HISA and the Guild have established a groundbreaking partnership with Onrise, a leading athlete-specific mental health company, to provide jockeys with easily accessible mental health care in their primary language. As part of HISA...

For most of the sport's history the mental well-being of jockeys was not something that anybody talked about or even thought about. But the problem could no longer be ignored when, in 2023, two jockeys, Alex Canchari and Avery Whisman, took their own lives. They were otherwise young and healthy, but the pressures of being a jockey was a burden both, apparently, could not handle. They were not alone. Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks said that 230 jockeys were surveyed last year and asked about their mental health....

Racetracks across the country will pay tribute to National Disability Independence Day and raise awareness and funds for the Jockeys' Guild and Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) the week of July 27. Racetracks will host activities this upcoming Saturday, while several racetracks that do not host live racing on that day will be participating on another date during the week. Fans and industry participants may contribute to the PDJF at www.PDJF.org. "I am honored by how this sport and the racing fans have given so much to me both before...