HISA, Jockeys’ Guild To Implement New Jockey Wellness Initiatives

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Jockeys' Guild have announced that they have created a Steering Committee to recommend and develop programming in support of the mental health and wellness of jockeys. The announcement comes on the heels of a symposium held last week in Saratoga.

The Steering Committee will be co-chaired by Ambassador Earle Mack, a businessman, philanthropist, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and Thoroughbred owner and breeder, and Dr. Yuval Neria, a professor of Clinical Medical Psychology at Columbia University Medical Center and Director of Trauma and PTSD at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Data recently collected by a HISA and Jockeys' Guild-commissioned survey, as well as other independent research, will be used to develop specific guidelines to better support and protect rider mental wellness.

“We salute HISA and the Jockeys' Guild for initiating this very important dialogue regarding the mental health and welfare of our beloved jockeys,” said Mack. “Despite my decades of experience in the industry, I was not fully aware of the mental health challenges our professional riders experience until today. Raising awareness is critical, but taking concrete steps to seek out and implement effective solutions for our riders' mental health concerns is imperative–not tomorrow, but today. Jockeys give their all to our horses every time they step on to the track. Let's afford them the care they deserve in return.”

“Jockeys in the exhilarating and sometimes dangerous sport of horseracing are repeatedly exposed to stress and trauma,” said Dr. Neria. “Physical injuries and concussions, coupled with hunger and lack of nutrients associated with weight management, place the rider at high risk for severe mental health problems, including depression, PTSD and addictions.”

Dr. Neria suggested that the industry work towards establishing a national evaluation and treatment center that can comprehensively address these very real and concerning issues.

Last week's symposium was hosted by retired jockey and noted TV personality Donna Brothers who led a panel discussion that included Eurico Rosa da Silva, jockey Trevor McCarthy and FOX Sports'/NYRA's Richard Migliore in addition to Dr. Neria. Attendees also heard from HISA CEO Lisa Lazarua and Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks.

“The Jockeys' Guild appreciates all of the input and interest by industry participants to address jockeys' mental health and wellness,” said Meyocks. “The Guild has long advocated for the industry to recognize the stress and everyday challenges jockeys face. The Guild looks forward to partnering with HISA in the formation of the Steering Committee to develop recommendations and programs which will demonstrate that we as an industry are able to support not only the jockeys but their family members as well and eventually all others in our industry.”

Added Lazarus: “As Thoroughbred racing's national safety regulator, HISA is deeply committed to safeguarding the mental and physical wellbeing of jockeys and riders across the country. We owe it to these athletes, who dedicate so much of their time and talent to racing, to do everything we can to support them– including by mitigating mental stress factors as well as the risk of injury and chronic health issues.”

HISA will work with HEADCHECK Health, a digital concussion protocol management platform, to allow racetrack personnel to use data-driven insights to improve the care they provide riders with a suspected concussion. Through the HEADCHECK platform, riders will gain access to a new, secure system to store their medical records, which will be easily available to physicians in an emergency.

HISA also announced a partnership with NovaCare Rehabilitation, a nationwide physical therapy network with nearly 2,000 outpatient physical therapy centers and more than 7,000 licensed therapists. NovaCare will provide jockeys with routine physicals and baseline concussion examinations at a discounted price nationwide.

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Penn National Implements HeadCheck Jockey Health Program

Penn National Race Course announced a new partnership with software company HeadCheck Health, Inc. that will equip all staff with a customized system for optimizing concussion and injury management for jockeys within and between racetracks.

HeadCheck is a secure HIPAA compliant system that aims to improve track management by allowing clear and immediate communication of suspected injuries and jockey health status. This program will help ensure nothing slips through the cracks and all jockeys receive appropriate care before returning to ride.

Since 2019, HeadCheck–covered in the TDN this March–has worked with various industry stakeholders, customizing its platform to address numerous jockey health issues. Though the program took a backseat to challenges related to COVID-19, HeadCheck has been continuing to adapt the system to be ready for expansion.

“The implementation of the HeadCheck program by racetracks in the region is an important step toward protecting the health of jockeys,” said Aaron Gryder, Vice President, Industry Relations, 1/ST RACING. “As a retired jockey myself, I see the HeadCheck program as a key solution for elevating the standard of care by creating consistent medical and head-health monitoring for our athletes.”

“We are proud to be joining this initiative and committed to the health and safety of our jockeys,” added Eric Johnston, Director of Racing Operations at Penn National Race Course.

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Penn National Joins HeadCheck Jockey Health System, Moving Toward Uniform Mid-Atlantic Protocols

Penn National Race Course announced a new partnership with software company HeadCheck Health, Inc. ('HeadCheck') that will equip all staff with a customized system for optimizing concussion and injury management for jockeys within and between racetracks.

Horse racing is a sport that comes with an inherent risk for jockeys. The industry also faces challenges in implementing concussion and injury protocols. There are different resources available at each track, no national overseeing body to mandate requirements, independent state commissions and rules, and a transitory workforce of jockeys.

Since 2019, HeadCheck has worked with various industry stakeholders, customizing the platform to solve many of these issues. Though the program took a backseat to challenges related to COVID-19, it's been quietly continuing to adapt the system to be ready for expansion.

The journey so far has been marked by impressive collaboration and hard work between Dr. Kelly Ryan and the sports medicine team at MedStar Health, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Maryland Jockey Club, and Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Benefit Board.

“The implementation of the HeadCheck program by racetracks in the region is an important step toward protecting the health of jockeys,” said Aaron Gryder, Vice President, Industry Relations, 1/ST RACING. “As a retired jockey myself, I see the HeadCheck program as a key solution for elevating the standard of care by creating consistent medical and head-health monitoring for our athletes.”

HeadCheck is a secure HIPAA compliant system that will improve track management by allowing clear and immediate communication of suspected injuries and jockey health status. This program will help ensure nothing slips through the cracks and all jockeys receive appropriate care before returning to ride.

“We are proud to be joining this initiative and committed to the health and safety of our jockeys,” said Eric Johnston, Director of Racing Operations at Penn National Race Course.

HeadCheck's goals align with the industry's: provide a comprehensive system that will save time, reduce the risk of non-compliance to concussion and injury protocols, and improve outcomes for injured riders.

To learn more, visit headcheckhealth.com or contact Eric VanderHelm directly at evanderhelm@headcheckhealth.com or (604) 373-0035.

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Jockey Health Day At Delaware Park Focused On ‘Improving The Standard Of Care’

The Delaware Jockeys' Health and Welfare Fund held a jockey health day on Monday, May 24, in the Delaware Park jockeys' quarters. Premier Physical Therapy and Sports Performance (Premier PT) hosted the event. A team of four doctors and three athletic trainers offered their services for this event; Dr. Kelly Ryan, Dr. Brad Sandela, Dr. Talha Khan, Dr. Chelsea Backer, Athletic Trainers Mandy Minutola, Sam Cutrone and Paige Ezell. Just under 30 jockeys attended the event to undergo physical examinations, baseline concussion testing and onboarding onto the Headcheck Health management system

Premier PT, in partnership with Laurel Racecourse track physician Dr. Kelly Ryan of Medstar, has been utilizing HeadCheck, a web-based end-to-end solution to execute concussion protocols, mitigate risk and support recovery. HeadCheck gives participating racetracks the ability to instantly remove and return jockeys to riding by sharing possible injury alerts, baseline tests, physicals, medical clearances, jockey emergency contact information and other pertinent information. HeadCheck uses strict HIPAA compliance with multi-level access where private health information is only provided to medical personnel.

Mandy Minutola, Director of Athletic training for Premier Physical Therapy, stated: “The first Jockey Health Day at Delaware Park was a successful step towards improving the standard of care for jockeys in our area. The collaboration of our Athletic Trainers with local sports medicine physicians to put the health and safety of the jockey first and foremost was evident in this event and something we hope was abundantly evident to our jockeys & their families. Premier is honored to provide an Athletic Trainer on all race days and be able to improve the quality of life of the jockeys during and beyond their horse racing careers. Our ultimate goal is to spread this desire to improve care standards across the United States for ALL jockeys.”

Delaware Park has a licensed athletic trainer during live racing with a treatment room located in the jockeys' room. Sam Cutrone, the licensed athletic trainer for Premier PT who has been the onsite athletic trainer since the inception Premier PT program, stated: “Premier Physical Therapy and Sports Performance is thrilled to be working towards a standard of care for all jockeys and enjoys providing them with the preventative and diagnostic tools that have been long overlooked in the horse racing industry. We hope to improve the quality of life for jockeys both during and beyond their horse racing careers.”

Ed Stegemeier, Chairman of The Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund, stated: “The Delaware Jockeys Health and Benefit Board is delighted to work with Delaware Park and Premier Physical Therapy in providing services that will add another layer of protective health care for all Delaware jockeys.”

The 77-day Delaware Park meet opens on Wednesday, May 26th and concludes on Saturday, October 16th. Live racing will be conducted Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. Thursdays will be added June 24th through September 30th. First-race daily post time is set for 1:15pm.

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