Barry Pearl, president of Jockeys and Jeans, an annual event that has raised $3.1 million for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund in its nine-year history, has retired.
Pearl, 76, is a former jockey who rode mostly in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida. After retiring, Pearl became the track photographer at Penn National Racetrack and then a top salesperson for West Publishing, a leading publisher of books on law. He retired in 2009 and moved to Juno Beach, Fla., with his wife Dee.
Under Pearl's leadership the group's annual fundraiser became the most successful charity event in racing.
“As I ride off into the sunset,” Pearl said, “I would like to thank the great folks that make up our committee: Eddie Donnally, Maureen and Darrell Brown, Sandy and Karou Hawley, Jayme LaRocca, Roger Blanco, Michele Pearl, Len Eckhaus, Randy Sampson, Suzie Picou Oldham, Kenny Katz, Harvey Kacer, Allan Monet, GR Carter and PDJF Director Nancy LaSala.”
“We would never have had this level of success without him at the helm,” said Jockeys and Jeans vice president Eddie Donnally, also a former rider. “He embraced the cause for aiding disabled former jockeys and for him Jockeys and Jeans was a full-time job for at least six months out of the last nine years.” Donnally said he will stay on for the immediate future.
In December 2014, Donnally called Pearl, a friend from their days in racing, asking him to join three other fellow jockeys at Tampa Bay Downs for an old-timer's reunion. Three weeks before the January 2015 event, it became a PDJF fundraiser they named Jockey and Jeans. It raised $23,000. Pearl was unanimously elected president the following year.
At the first event Pearl met Brian Elmore, who then headed Indiana Grand racetrack, which became the site of the second event that raised $220,000. “Elmore was my mentor and showed me how to put on a successful event,” Pearl said. “I will be forever indebted to Brian for his friendship and support.”
Pearl also thanks event hosts Tampa Bay Downs, Horseshoe Indianapolis (formerly Indiana Grand), Gulfstream Park, Parx Racing, Canterbury Park, Santa Anita, Monmouth Park, Churchill Downs, and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas where the June 24 event raised a record of over $400,000.
Pearl said he informed PDJF Director Nancy LaSala that he would remain as an advisor and help with any transition.
“I hope the PDJF will embrace Jockeys and Jeans and keep it going,” said Pearl. “In the last nine years I have met so many great people, fallen riders, Hall of Fame members and folks that truly care about jockeys who are now riding wheelchairs. It's been a good run, but it's time for me to hang up my tack.”
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