jockeys

Joe Clabes is the new Executive Director of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the organization announced Monday. Clabes joins current PDJF President Nancy LaSala and will oversee "finance, technology, internal operations and controls along with disbursement of benefits to disabled jockeys." "We are thrilled to welcome Joe as the new Executive Director of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund," said William J. Punk, Jr, Chairperson of the PDJF Board of Directors. "Joe has strong leadership and management skills and is dedicated to supporting the needs of disabled jockeys." "I am honored...

A time honored tradition dating back more than five decades, the 54th annual Santa Anita Jockeys vs. Holy Angels Middle School Charity Basketball Game will be held Monday, Feb. 26 at La Salle High School in Pasadena, Ca. The La Salle High gymnasium will open to the public at 6 p.m. and tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Admission tickets will be available on-site and a $5 donation will generate proceeds to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF) and Holy Angels athletics. A distinguished group of Hall of Fame jockeys...

Hall of Famer Bobby Ussery, whose many accomplishments in the saddle included a victory aboard Proud Clarion in the 1967 Kentucky Derby, has passed away, it was reported Friday by the Gulfstream Park media team. He was 88. Gulfstream reported that Ussery, a native of Vian, Oklahoma, was in Florida at the time of his passing. His son, Robert Ussery Jr. told the Daily Racing Form that his father died earlier this week of congestive heart failure and was living in Hollywood, Florida, at the time. Sports Illustrated called Ussery's...

Each year, the jockey colony at Horseshoe Indianapolis comes together and brings in toys for less fortunate children in Shelby County. This year, the jockeys brought in a total of 83 toys which will be delivered to Court Appointed State Advocates (CASA). The toys will then be dispersed to kids in the local community who will have a little brighter Christmas thanks to the efforts of more than 30 jockeys at Horseshoe Indianapolis. "This is very special to all of us," said Leading Jockey Joe Ramos, who brought in multiple...

Edited Press Release Kentucky Educational Television (KET), a state network of PBS member stations serving the Commonwealth of Kentucky, will air 'The Legacy of Black Horsemen' an hour-long documentary that details the story of Black jockeys, trainers, grooms and exercisers in the 1800s who played an important role in the Thoroughbred industry. The program documents how Black horsemen were subjected to discrimination and cruelty throughout much of their lives. During slavery, many won the faith of their white owners and were trusted with major financial and horse training decisions. In...

The two jockeys currently ranked second and third for wins this season at Finger Lakes are both facing sanctions for their roles in two separate races last week in which one rider was piloting a long shot that altered course while the other rider was aboard the beaten favorite. According to a stewards' ruling posted Aug. 8 on the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) website, jockey John Davila, Jr., who has been riding at Finger Lakes since 1983, has been fined $500 "for riding in manner contrary to the...

The final three races of the Qatar Goodwood Festival Saturday card were cancelled after the racecourse failed to pass inspection after the Coral Stewards' Cup. A group of officials, trainers and jockeys went to inspect the track, and paid particular attention to the bend into the home straight. After the running of the G2 Lillie Langtry S. at 3 p.m, which took place during a torrential downpour, some jockeys were concerned regarding the state of the round course. Ed Arkell, Goodwood's director of racing, told Racing TV, "The jockeys expressed...

Dear TDN Editor: Some may argue that Thoroughbred racing is a contact sport. Twelve-hundred-pound athletes running at 40 mph around an oval and navigating through holes as tight as the eye of a needle might support that reasoning. Our racing stewards are there to guard against the worst from happening and protecting the integrity and safety of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. With the eyes of a hawk, they are doing their job well from their perch atop the clubhouse. All are accredited with experience and must be commended for...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Jockeys' Guild hosted a symposium on the mental health and wellness of jockeys on Aug. 1 at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga. The event was organized after a similar discussion conducted in May at Keeneland shared the results of a survey of 230 jockeys that revealed that, among other findings, a third of jockeys had faced challenges in their daily lives over the past month due to feelings of sadness, anxiety...

President of Jockeys and Jeans Barry Pearl has officially retired. The 76-year-old headed the annual event that has raised $3.1 million for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund in their nine-year history. A former jockey, Pearl later became the track photographer at Penn National Racetrack and then a top salesperson for West Publishing. He retired in 2009 and moved to Juno Beach Florida with his wife Dee. Hall of Fame Jockey Sandy Hawley, who along with his wife Karou, oversaw relationships with Hall of Fame Jockeys has also resigned. Each year...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Jockeys' Guild have launched an industry initiative to provide jockeys and riders with mental wellness support and resources. The organizations will be sending a survey to jockeys and exercise riders relating to their mental wellness needs and will use results of the anonymous survey as a starting point for building a framework to effectively use collective resources to address riders' most important health and safety needs. "HISA is tasked with regulatory oversight for jockey welfare and we are delighted to be working...

What does the most recognizable jockey of the nineteenth century have in common with a young rider from the 1970s-turned-modern-day playwright? This seemingly disparate pair might be divided by over a century along the continuum, but their experiences, told in a fresh biographical treatment of Isaac Murphy by historian Katherine C. Mooney and through Robert Montano's self-penned and deeply-personal play, have much to tell us about the perilously-seated life in the irons. What they both encountered is particularly instructive for us, especially after the sudden and tragic losses of jockeys...