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Mandatory Jockey Breeding Rights Discussed at CHRB Meeting

The California Horse Racing Board's Jockey and Driver Welfare Committee held a relatively rare meeting Wednesday in Sacramento to discuss several items, including a novel and somewhat controversial proposal to require the granting of a one-time breeding right or season to the winning rider of a future stallion that wins certain California graded stakes.

As the CHRB's meeting package points out, owners have typically given a stallion share to the regular rider and trainer of horses that retire to stud. But that voluntary practice “has evolved, some would say eroded, over time and now often includes a single season breeding right,” wrote the CHRB.

The proposal currently has little in the way of specifics, such as which graded stakes such a program would encompass. Nevertheless, during the meeting, further flesh was put to the bones of the reasons spurring the idea.

CHRB executive director Scott Chaney explained how, because of a recent spate of high-profile jockeys leaving California for supposedly greener pastures, it's important “we explore ways in which we can retain jockeys.”

Continuing along that theme, CHRB vice chairman, Oscar Gonzales, argued that California's historically strong jockey colony has been a mainstay of the state's racing industry.

However, “things are changing quite a bit,” he said, pointing to fast-evolving betting tastes. And so, the proposal “is worthy of a hard look at what we could be doing.”

Furthermore, “anybody who thinks jockeys are well compensated for what they do are well off the mark,” said Gonzales, breaking down the way in which jockey fees are carved up among agents and others, and the lack of uniform retirement plan for riders.

Using an annual book of 140 mares as a baseline threshold, “I believe asking for a one-time breeding right, not a lifetime breeding right, but just a one-time breeding right for a graded stakes win is not too much to ask,” said Gonzales.

The two other commissioners present at the meeting, Damascus Castellanos and Thomas Hudnut, both expressed reservations about the proposal.

“I like the idea of wanting to do something for the riders,” said Hudnut. “I'm not sure that this is the best way to do that.”

Hudnut explained that he would have a “hard time” requiring that owners to grant breeding rights–“which are somebody's property”–to a jockey, and that a thorough legal analysis first be done to understand the legal feasibility of such a mandate.

He also raised the issue of riders flying into California on a temporary basis to ride in graded stakes. “I wonder what giving Irad Ortiz breeding rights would mean to him,” he said, raising the issue of potentially limiting such a mandate to California-

based jockeys.

In response to Hudnut's comments, Chaney admitted that the proposal has yet to undergo a full legal analysis

The committee ultimately decided to discuss the idea further before potentially sending a more complete proposal before the full racing board. The process to implement such a proposal would have to go through a public comment period before the full board could take a formal vote on it.

Earlier in the meeting, the committee discussed plans to plug a glaring gap in California's jockey safety net–the lack of regulations governing jockey concussion protocols.

As part of the safety component of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), all tracks are required to have in place jockey concussion protocols come July 1 encompassing both a baseline concussion test and a concussion management program.

The meeting packet included a detailed rider concussion program as laid out by the Jockeys' Guild.

Due to the speed with which such protocols must be adopted, Chaney explained ways in which a jockey concussion protocol could be fast-tracked through the regulatory process.

“I think this is an example of something we could do through a protocol, as it's required by HISA. It doesn't have to be regulatory, which would speed the process,” said Chaney, who suggested bringing the issue to the full board in June, giving the committee more time to evaluate the Jockeys' Guild's plan.

Other agenda items included a proposal to reduce the weight allowance given to new apprentices from 10 pounds to seven, except in stakes races and handicaps.

In relation to that proposal, the committee discussed the feasibility of raising the minimum weight from 112 pounds to 114 pounds, and to reduce the maximum amount of overweight from seven pounds to five.

Both items will now go before the full racing board at some point in the future.

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New Jersey Racing Commission Rescinds Whip Ban

Monmouth Park jockeys will once again be allowed to use their whips to encourage their mounts when the meet kicks off May 7.

The change was made during a special hearing held Friday by the New Jersey Racing Commission, which voted to rescind rules that were put in place prior to the 2021 Monmouth meeting that allowed whipping only in cases where it was needed for safety reasons. New Jersey was the only state in the country where whipping was banned.

Monmouth's whipping rules were set to change July 1, when the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) goes into effect. At that time, HISA rules will replace state racing commission rules throughout the country and the HISA whip rules allow for six overhand strikes. In addition, jockeys may tap the horse on the shoulder unlimited times if both their hands are on the reins.

Monmouth management went to the racing commission and asked it to overturn the whipping ban, arguing that it did not make sense to have the rules change in the middle of the meet.

The commission agreed, voting by a 5-1 margin to go with the HISA rules starting with opening day. Lawrence DeMarzo was the only commissioner not to vote to end the whipping ban.

“This is better than it was,” said Terry Meyocks, the president of the Jockeys' Guild, which had been staunchly against the whip ban, arguing that it raised safety concerns for the riders. “It's a safety issue. It's not subjective. They have to take into consideration what the jocks have been saying.”

As part of its argument, Monmouth cited handle figures for the 2021 meet in which daily average handle fell by 17.13%, which raised concern that some bettors stayed away from Monmouth because they weren't comfortable with the new rules.

To enforce the HISA whipping rules, Monmouth will establish a three-person committee of racing officials who will review races to make sure the jockeys are in compliance. If they are not, the penalties will be severe. First-time violators will forfeit their share of the purse, will be fined $500 and receive a three-day suspension. Second-time offenders will lose the purse money, be fined $2,500 and suspended for seven days. Anyone violating the rule a third time will lose the purse money, be fined $5,000 and banned for the remainder of the meet.

It was revealed during the hearing that the racing commission received more than 80 telephone calls asking it to keep the whip ban in place. Many of the callers told the commission they received texts or emails from PETA asking them to call the commission.

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Woodbine’s Five Furlongs With Gary Boulanger: That Time Clint Eastwood Called

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 19, 1967, Gary Boulanger began his riding career in Washington State and won three straight jockey titles at Longacres in Seattle, breaking Gary Stevens' meet record with 247 wins in 1991. He also netted two riding crowns at Calder Race Course in 1994 and 1995. Boulanger returned to Canada, specifically Woodbine, in June 2000 and won 78 races, six stakes and more than $4 million in purses. He has been associated with Sovereign Award champions including Dancethruthedawn, who won the Queen's Plate and Woodbine Oaks in 2001. Boulanger's career appeared to be over following a 2005 spill at Gulfstream but after a brief stint as a trainer he made a remarkable comeback after an eight-year absence. Boulanger was the recipient of the 2017 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award for contributions to racing on and off the track. His career totals show 3,655 wins for purses over $82 million (USD).

Who is your favourite actor and why?

“Clint Eastwood. I actually got to meet him when I won a race on a horse that was named after him. When he was the mayor of Carmel at the time, I was riding at Stockton, and I rode a horse named Eastwood. The sire of the horse was named Dirty Harry, and the owners had to get permission from Paramount to name the horse that. When they named the horse Eastwood, they had to get Clint's approval. And he gave it. The horse was an Appaloosa. The race was a Derby, and you had to qualify for it. I get this phone call in the jocks' room and the voice says, 'Are you riding a horse named Eastwood tomorrow?' I said that I was and the person says, 'Do you think you can win?' I told him that I liked the horse a lot and thought I had a good shot. 'Did you know the horse was named after me?' I thought it was a joke. I asked, 'Are you Clint Eastwood?' And he said that he was and wanted to know if he should come. I thought someone was punking me, but he ends up showing up at the track, coming to the jocks' room. So, I got to meet him, shake his hand and have a quick chat. The horse won, and he came to the winner's circle. I had always liked him as an actor, so it's cool to have that connection.”

Design your own jockey silks.

“They would be blue with silver or black trim. The logo would be a circle, either a black or silver ball. Blue is my favourite colour.”

If you had to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

“I think I'd go with The Comeback Kid. I had to deal with a lot of ups and downs in my career, some life-threatening injuries and other serious ones too. So, I think that title would be appropriate.”

Most embarrassing moment as a jockey?

“I'm pretty hardcore, so it's tough to think of a particular moment. I used to be really shy, just talking to people was tough. I think if I was to look at something embarrassing, it would be learning about public speaking. When I first started doing well, I was in Seattle, and when I would do interviews, I'd turn red. I was really shy and not forward. That was my biggest embarrassment, that I was so nervous around people early on in my career. The Clerk of Scales in Seattle, his son worked for Boeing. He prepared CEOs for presentations. He told me that I had to get used to speaking in public, so I went to his house for a BBQ and met him. He gave me a simple exercise. He said to go to a stoplight, stop, look left, look right, and the first person I see, stare at them until they look at you, and when they look at you, don't turn away and smile. A big fear is when people look at you, that you turn away and break that eye contact. He said that when I can learn to do that, it can help you move on to the next step. And it did help me.”

How are your karaoke talents?

“I sing a lot of karaoke songs. I've sung some crazy ones. George Strait is my favourite artist and I Cross My Heart is my top song. As for my singing voice, I was always the one who didn't care about getting up there and singing first. [Former jockey] Shane Sellers is one of my best friends and he actually cut an album. He was hardcore karaoke… he had a whole sound system in his basement. He didn't do any voice training, but he has a good voice. The thing is, he never wanted to go up first for karaoke. So, I'd go up first. I broke the ice. I'd walk in there and just step up to the mic. Shane would go up there and sound like Pavarotti compared to me, so I'd like to get my songs out of the way first.”

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The Toboggan First Ignited Richard Migliore’s Desire To Become A Jockey

When asking an aspiring jockey what races they dream of winning, marquee events like the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes often top the list. But Brooklyn-native Richard Migliore had his heart set on winning the Toboggan, which will celebrate its 129th renewal on Saturday, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Migliore, 57, was a multiple Grade 1-winning jockey with 4,450 career victories and earnings in excess of $160 million through a riding career that spanned three decades. Today, he serves as a racing analyst for the NYRA-produced America's Day at the Races.

As a kid, Migliore accompanied his father on frequent trips to Aqueduct where he would admire pictures on the second floor wall of the horses who had won the Wood Memorial.

While trips to the Big A were instrumental in shaping Migliore's dreams of becoming a jockey, it wasn't the Wood Memorial or even any Triple Crown race that encouraged Migliore to pursue his goals – it was the Toboggan.

Migliore's connection with the historic sprint began in 1976 when Harbor View Farm's homebred Due Diligence captured the Toboggan by 4 3/4-lengths under Hall of Famer Jorge Velasquez.

“My father and I would catch the train right off Avenue U in Brooklyn. There was a bakery that had the best Boston cream donuts right by the station,” Migliore recalled. “My father took me to Aqueduct one day in 1976 to watch the Toboggan. On the train ride home, I remember telling my father, 'Pop, I'm going to be a jockey and I'm going to win the Toboggan Handicap one day.'

“I already had it in my head that I wanted to be a jockey,” Migliore continued. “I grew up in Brooklyn maybe nine miles from Aqueduct. I didn't think about the Kentucky Derby, that might as well have been Mars. But Aqueduct was in my backyard pretty much and the Toboggan had meaning to me.”

Migliore proved to be a man of his word. In 1981, the 17-year-old was the leading rider on the NYRA circuit and awarded honors for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in only his second year of riding.

But it wasn't until 1985 that Migliore achieved his childhood dream of winning the Toboggan, piloting Jerome Moss' Fighting Fit to a narrow victory over regally-bred stakes-winner Entropy for the late Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel.

Migliore expanded on his success at Aqueduct that winter by guiding Eternal Prince to victories in the Gotham and Wood Memorial en route to his first Kentucky Derby mount aboard the son of Majestic Prince, finishing 12th in the first leg of the Triple Crown won by Spend a Buck.

“I can vividly remember being on the train telling my father I was going to win the Toboggan Handicap. It was about nine or ten years after the conversation, but it was definitely on my mind,” Migliore said. “It felt really cool. A couple of months later I won the Wood Memorial. I just remembered being that kid staring at the wall of all the pictures of Wood Memorial winners. I could have told you every trainer, owner, and jockey that had ever won it. Aqueduct has always been meaningful to me and obviously the Toboggan was important because some of my first memories are attached to it, knowing that I wanted my life to go in the direction it went.”

Migliore said winning the Toboggan aboard a Frankel-trained horse was extra special as the Hall of Fame trainer was a first cousin of his former teacher, Joe Rodlitz.

“Fighting Fit was a big deal because Bobby Frankel was shipping a horse from California and tapping me to ride him,” Migliore said. “Ironically enough, my sixth grade social studies teacher Mr. Rodlitz was Bobby Frankel's first cousin. I remember one day he caught me reading a racing form in class and made me stay after class. I thought I was in trouble. But then he told me who his cousin was, which was really cool.”

Migliore went on to win the Toboggan five more times in his 30-year riding career, including back-to-back wins aboard fan favorite Affirmed Success [2002-03] for trainer Rick Schosberg.

“What a cool horse,” Migliore said of the multimillionaire who raced until age 9. “I got him later in his career. In 2002, it was a prep for the Carter and he ended up winning the Carter as an 8-year-old. Winning a Grade 1 as an 8-year-old was just remarkable.”

The following year, Affirmed Success arrived at the Toboggan off a third-place finish as the beaten favorite in an Aqueduct allowance race. Migliore, who said he was critical of his own ride in the allowance effort, was named back on the horse and guided him to a win in the 2003 Toboggan.

The win marked the final career victory for Affirmed Success, who produced triple-digit speed figures in all but 4-of-42 starts.

“Rick Schosberg had been so supportive and gave me confidence,” Migliore said. “People don't realize that when a jockey makes a mistake, they'll never make that mistake again if they're left on the horse – not if they're any kind of a rider. So, him leaving me on the horse and being rewarded with another Toboggan was like redemption for a ride I wish I could have had back the start before.”

Schosberg said Migliore and Affirmed Success developed a strong bond.

“To win the Toboggan twice at eight and nine was really special and the two of them had a really great relationship,” Schosberg recalled. “When we put him on the horse the first time, they really got along. The horse had a tremendous personality, like Richie does. Sometimes, he would be warming up before a race and just stare at an airplane. I told Richie, 'He's trying to figure out how that works'. He was a smart horse. He wasn't just looking at it, he was trying to figure out how something flies while warming up for a Grade 1. The three of us were a little long in the tooth, but it was fun.”

With a total of six Toboggan victories, Migliore is the winningest jockey in the race's rich history. In addition to Fighting Fit and Affirmed Success, Migliore also rode Royal Haven [1997], Wouldn't We All [1999] and Kazoo [2006] to Toboggan wins.

Migliore would usually stay in New York for the winter rather than heading to warmer climates to ride. He attributed his success in the Toboggan to his familiarity with the Big A oval.

“I always liked to stay in New York. First, I'm a native New Yorker. Second, I have kids and when I was riding, I didn't want to move them around too much and disrupt their lives,” Migliore said. “Riding at Aqueduct was great. The purses were great, you're done by 4:30 or 5:00 and you can go home and have dinner with your family. It was the perfect balance of professional and personal life.”

The Toboggan isn't the only race in New York with sentimental value for Migliore. He grew up in the Gravesend area of Brooklyn and won the neighborhood's namesake race at Aqueduct in 1997 aboard Royal Haven in a dead heat with Stalwart Member.

“I won that race which I thought was pretty cool, and then I won the Brooklyn twice and I grew up in Brooklyn,” Migliore said of his Brooklyn Handicap scores with Iron Deputy [2003] and Seattle Fitz [2004]. “Those things are not lost on me. I appreciate them a lot.”

Through Migliore's outstanding riding career, he won the Mike Venezia Award in 2003 and the George Woolf Memorial Award in 2008, the latter the same year he rode Desert Code to victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Crowned as the leading rider in New York in 1981 and 1985, Migliore also has either won or tied as leading rider at 10 different NYRA meets. But the veteran rider said few races connect to him as closely as his affection for the Toboggan.

“It has personal meaning to me since it was a race that helped fuel or fan the flame that helped me become a rider,” Migliore said. “There's other races in New York that I have the most wins in as well. But personally, the Toboggan means a lot to me.”

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