Jockey's Guild | Horse Racing Free Tips

Letter To The Editor: Move By The Jockeys’ Guild At Monmouth Dangerous, Unfair To Riders

The Jockeys' Guild decision to cancel insurance for jockeys who ride in races at Monmouth Park is vindictive and dangerous.

To proclaim Monmouth's new whip policy “extremely dangerous and is creating an even greater risk to both the equine and human athletes, including the potential for injury and/or loss of life to the jockeys and the horses” is in my opinion an extreme over-dramatization. But to characterize the jockeys' situation as “extremely dangerous” and at the same time refuse to insure them is a new level of histrionics and reveals the Jockeys' Guild to be an organization of bad faith.

As a long-time fan of Thoroughbred racing, I frankly fail to see how not being allowed to whip a horse to make it perform is “dangerous.” The rule does not prohibit the use of the whip if needed to avoid a dangerous situation within a race.

It comes down to an unwillingness on the part of the Jockeys' Guild to adapt to the new realities of public perception of animal welfare. Their punitive and backward approach will cause harm to the very group whose interests they claim to represent.

—Holly Brunner, Thoroughbred owner and fan

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please write to info at paulickreport.com and include contact information where you may be reached if editorial staff have any questions.

The post Letter To The Editor: Move By The Jockeys’ Guild At Monmouth Dangerous, Unfair To Riders appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockeys’ Guild Cuts Insurance For Riders At Monmouth Park

In a letter to membership dated June 7, the Jockeys' Guild informed its membership that it will no longer provide insurance policies for riders at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. The New Jersey Racing Commission instituted the strictest whip policy in the country this year, preventing riders from using the whip for any reason except for safety. The Jockeys' Guild president Terry Meyocks has repeatedly voiced his opinion against the whip restriction in New Jersey.

“It is our opinion and belief that this regulation is extremely dangerous and is creating an even greater risk to both the equine and human athletes, including the potential for injury and/or loss of life to the jockeys and the horses,” the Guild said in its letter to members. “The increase of risk is thereby creating a greater exposure for the Jockeys' Guild and the benefits that we provide to our members who are riding under such regulation.”

Insurance for riders at Monmouth will end on July 1. Currently, those benefits include: temporary disability, life insurance, and Accident, Death and Disability benefits. When insurance coverage from the Jockeys' Guild ends, riders will have to take out their own insurance policies or accept the risks of racing without it.

Dennis Drazin, CEO and chairman of Monmouth Park operator Darby Development, called the Guild's decision a “cheap shot.”

“This is an uncalled-for reaction to a rule that the racing commission put into effect and now they want to punish their own jockeys because they are riding,” Drazin said. “The comments I have heard are that some of the jocks are upset with the Guild and don't feel that they are representing them well. Now they decide that they're going to suspend the benefits that they provide to our jockeys. Frankly, if our jockeys wanted to, they have a very good lawsuit against the Guild.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post Jockeys’ Guild Cuts Insurance For Riders At Monmouth Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Belmont Racing Festival Success Nets Jose Ortiz Jockey Of The Week Title

Jose Ortiz won two Grade 1 stakes races and a Grade 2 stakes during Belmont Park's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, earning Jockey of the Week for June 1 through June 6. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

While Ortiz was originally scheduled to ride numerous mounts during the three-day Racing Festival, he picked up several more after his brother, Irad, went down in an on-track accident Thursday requiring jockey changes for Friday and Saturday. To everyone's relief, Irad was not seriously injured and is scheduled to return to riding soon. Jose went on to make the most of the mounts he picked up.

On Friday, Ortiz picked up the mount on Firenze Fire for trainer Kelly Breen in the Grade 2 True North at 6-1/2 furlongs. Firenze Fire broke from the rail and engaged Flagstaff for nearly the entire race before prevailing by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:15.52.

“(Irad) said he's a very nice horse and that he was going to break good,” said the replacement Ortiz. “I rode him like he was the best horse and he was the best horse.”

On Saturday, Ortiz was named his brother's replacement on Drain the Clock for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. Under Ortiz, Drain the Clock broke sharp from post 2 while the favorite, Jackie's Warrior missed the break but was hustled up to take command with Drain the Clock in unrelenting pursuit. Drain the Clock hit the wire in front by a neck. The win was Ortiz's first career Woody Stephens.

“It was a great race, everybody gave their best. I'm just happy we came out with the win and I'm happy filling in for Irad and not messing it up,” said Ortiz.

Later on Saturday, Ortiz picked up Letruska for Fausto Gutierrez in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps for older fillies and mares going 1-1/16 miles on the main track. With Ortiz aboard, Letruska went right to the lead out of the gate, led the other four up the backstretch and opened up to draw off by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:41;25. Ortiz said Letruska would not be denied the lead.

“She was breaking a little slow, but she broke good today. I was able to put her on the lead and make the other horses chase me,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz's weekly statistics were 32-5-5-4 for an in-the-money percentage of 43.7 and total purse earnings of $1,370,764.

For Jockey of the Week honors, Ortiz out-polled Edwin Gonzalez with an in-the-money rate of 62 percent, Flavien Prat with two graded stakes wins, Diego Saenz who was the leading jockey by wins with 10, and Luis Saez who won the Belmont Stakes.

The post Belmont Racing Festival Success Nets Jose Ortiz Jockey Of The Week Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Juan J. Hernandez Voted Jockey Of The Week After Graded Stakes Triple

Juan J. Hernandez won the second Grade 1 of his career and two Grade 2 races to garner Jockey of the Week honors for May 24 through May 31. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Trainer David Hofmans gave Hernandez the mount on Award Winner in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes on Saturday. Breaking from the rail in the field of four, longshot Award Winner overhauled the pacesetter Acclimate to register a huge upset in the mile and one quarter race on the Camino Real Turf Course in 1:59.27.

“This was a really big win for us,” said Hernandez. “I knew that horse (Acclimate) had a lot of speed, so I let him go and my horse relaxed. I waited until the quarter pole and asked him one time and he really picked it up and made a huge move in the stretch.”

Hernandez then won his second graded stakes of the day on Magic On Tap for trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes. Riding Magic On Tap for the first time, Hernandez settled the 5-year-old in third behind Eight Rings and Lambeau. He gained the advantage in mid-stretch to win the seven-furlong contest in 1:23.54.

“My horse, he helped me a lot, he broke really sharp and I was behind the speed all the race then when I hit the quarter pole, I asked him to go and he responded really well,” said Hernandez. “It feels great to win a big race like today.”

On Monday, trainer Simon Callaghan gave a leg up to Hernandez on longshot Maxim Rate for the first time in the Grade 1 Gamely. Off at 13-1 in a field of seven fillies and mares three and up, Maxim Rate stalked the pace while fourth early. Hernandez took advantage of favorite Charmaine's Mia fading a sixteenth of a mile from home as well as holding off a late run from La Signare to win by a half-length in 1:46.61 for the mile and one eighth turf contest. The win gave Hernandez the second Grade 1 win of his career and his seventh graded stakes of the year.

“She broke out of there, really clean break, she relaxed really well for me,” said Hernandez. “She's a very classy filly, you can do whatever you want with her.”

Weekly stats for Hernandez were 22-6-1-6 for a 27 percent strike rate and 59 percent in-the-money. Total purse earnings of $583,760 led all jockeys for the week. Hernandez currently sits second in the standings with nine racing days to go at the Santa Anita Winter/Spring meet.

Hernandez out-polled Kyle Frey who tied Tyler Gaffalione for most victories with nine, Santiago Gonzalez who won two stakes at Belterra and Jaime Rodriguez who had a 32 percent win rate.

The post Juan J. Hernandez Voted Jockey Of The Week After Graded Stakes Triple appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post