Jockeys | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jockey Basketball Game for Charity Returns to the Spa

After a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, the 13th Annual Charity Basketball Game featuring jockeys against horsemen will be held Wednesday, Sept. 1. Proceeds from the event, which will take place at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center at 6:30 p.m., will benefit the programs of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. Admission is free.

Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr. will coach the jockey team, while 2021 Hall of Fame inductee Todd Pletcher will coach the horsemen team alongside trainer-turned-agent Kiaran McLaughlin. NYRA's Mitch Levites will do the announcing.

“We are delighted to be able to play the game this year,” said Humberto Chavez, lead chaplain and executive director of the New York Chaplaincy. “This is a cherished tradition, and everyone really missed it last year. The funds go to support the backstretch community and Saratogians are great supporters of those who take care of the horses behind the scenes.”

Raffle prizes for attendees will include an Apple watch and a custom, autographed Irad Ortiz, Jr. bobblehead. For more information or to sponsor the game, visit www.rtcany.org or call Eleanor Poppe at 516-428-5267.

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Figueroa and Mejia On the Mend

Jockey Heriberto Figueroa, injured in a spill at Monmouth Park last Sunday, will resume riding at the track during Friday's card. Tomas Mejia, who was involved in the same spill, is likely to be out at least one more week while he recovers, according to the agents for both riders.

“He's doing fine and ready to ride again,” said John Salamone, Figueroa's agent. “He's 100%.”

Mejia's return will likely be delayed another week, according to agent Robert Tuccille.

“He is feeling a lot better, but we're going to take the safe approach and not rush back so he will not ride this weekend,” said Tuccille. “He's just sore, so we'll give it another week. The plan is for him to resume riding next weekend.”

Both riders were transported by ambulance to Monmouth Medical Center following the spill in Sunday's fifth race. Both were released later that night.

The incident occurred when Mejia's mount, Service With Honor, appeared to clip heels with a tiring One More Nightcap coming out of final turn of the mile and a sixteenth starter allowance on the grass, with Mejia slamming into the turf. Figueroa, aboard Rose for a Saint, went down trying to avoid Service With Honor.

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The Friday Show Presented By Monmouth Park: Perry Ouzts. Ageless Wonder

Like much of what he's done throughout a riding career that began in 1973, the occasion of jockey Perry Wayne Ouzts' 52,000th mount on July 20 got scant attention. It was just another day in the office for the 67-year-old, who recorded three wins that same afternoon at Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ouzts now sits at 7,200 career victories, sixth on the all-time list and first among active riders.

No one has followed Ouzts' career closer than John Engelhardt, a writer, photographer, host of the Winning Ponies podcast and former publicist at River Downs, the Cincinnati track where Arkansas native Ouzts rode for so many years. (Belterra racetrack and casino was built where the old River Downs was located.)

Engelhardt joins publisher Ray Paulick (a 67-year-old who will not be doing any horseback riding) and news editor Chelsea Hackbarth (who got to know Ouzts when she was working at defunct Beulah Park) to share stories and answer some questions about the riding legend who was the subject of the Hennegan Brothers' Eclipse Award-winning documentary, “Ironman Perry Ouzts,”

Ray and Chelsea also review last weekend's Connaught Cup and the winner, Avie's Flatter, who earned Woodbine Star of the Week honors.

Watch this week's show, presented by Monmouth Park, below:

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Concussion Report Published By UK Government

A concussion in sport report was published by the UK Government on Thursday morning and the news was welcomed by the Professional Jockeys Association (PJA).

In March of 2021, an inquiry into the links between sport and long-term brain injury, the implications for youth sport and funding for further scientific research was announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Also under consideration during the four oral evidence sessions that made up the inquiry was the role of national governing bodies and major sporting organisations. The DCMS committee made a number of key recommendations, including the development of a UK-wide minimum standard definition of concussion to be used across all sport. The Health and Safety Executive have been told to work with sports governing bodies to set up a new reporting framework for sports injury by July 2022, with sports required to report any event that might lead to an acquired brain injury within a year of that.

“We very much welcome the DCMS inquiry and the recommendations that have been published in their 'Concussion in Sport' report today,” PJA Chief Executive Paul Struthers told the committee. “Their recommendations to establish a UK-wide minimum standard definition for concussion that all sports must use and adapt for their sport, a UK wide minimum standard protocol for concussion, a national framework for the reporting of sporting injuries and a single research fund that will coordinate and fund research are particularly important.

“We have been fortunate that racing has been ahead of the game in many ways, thanks to the work of the British Horseracing Authority and its predecessors, and especially racing's former Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Michael Turner and his successor Dr. Jerry Hill.

“However, it is vital that we continue to work closely with the BHA and Dr. Hill to ensure racing's protocols, support, education, advice and aftercare continue to be fit for purpose and serve to protect our members as much as possible.

“We also look forward to working with government, Professional Players Federation members and other stakeholders to ensure these recommendations are implemented.”

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