permanently disabled jockeys fund | Horse Racing Free Tips

Tracks to Honor Avery Whisman

Tracks across the country will hold a moment of silence Feb. 18 in memory of the late jockey Avery Whisman. The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, in coordination with racetracks across the country, is leading the initiative in an effort to shed light on mental health awareness and the challenges jockeys face. Jockeys at all participating tracks will wear black armbands in tribute to Whisman, who died suddenly Jan. 11 at the age of 23 following a prolonged struggle with the physical and mental demands placed on riders.

The 1/ST properties: Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita and Golden Gate, will all participate and Laurel Park, where Whisman rode primarily in 2019-2020, will have a race named in his honor on its Feb. 18 Winter Carnival program. Jockeys, family and friends will gather in the Laurel winner's circle following the race and observe the moment of silence.

Whisman's parents, Lyman and Salli, said, “We are so very proud of our son and all he accomplished in his short life. In the future, we hope to raise awareness and empower dialogue within the racing industry around gaps in needed health and mental health support for its jockey athletes.”

Mike Rogers, acting president of the Maryland Jockey Club, said, “Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, no matter your age or profession. It's important for individuals to prioritize and take care of their mental health, and it's important for us to reach out to those who may show signs of needing help.”

Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of Jockeys' Guild said, “The Jockeys' Guild sincerely appreciates 1/ST Racing bringing attention to the important issues of mental health and other health related challenges affecting jockeys. These are struggles that jockeys and the Guild have dealt with on a continual basis.”

Laurel will also distribute hats and T-shirts for a donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides financial assistance to 60 former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Since its founding in 2006, the PDJF has disbursed nearly $11 million.

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Santa Anita Jockeys Renew Rivalry With Holy Angels Middle School

After a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Santa Anita's 53rd annual Charity Basketball Game versus Holy Angels Middle School will return to La Salle High School in Pasadena Thursday, Feb. 16.

A distinguished group of Hall of Fame Jockeys will be on-hand beginning at 6:30 p.m. to sign posters and other memorabilia in the La Salle gym. Retired legends Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Gary Stevens will be available, as well as active Hall of Famers Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza, Mike Smith and John Velazquez.

Admission to the game is $5, with proceeds going to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund and Holy Angels Athletics. Tickets may be purchased at the door, or in advance via Jockey.givesmart.com. Jockey game T-shirts may also be purchased in advance via this link up until Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. PDT.

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Jockeys And Jeans Stallion Season Sale Reports Gains Over 2022 Totals

The seventh annual sale of stallion breeding seasons–which ended Jan. 25 to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund–raised $112,050 compared to $72,500 in 2022. The sale marked revenue increases in both the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse stallion seasons with increases more pronounced in the Quarter Horse breeding industry, accounting for $71,500 of the total proceeds.

The seasons were donated by breeders in six states, including several leading farms in Central Kentucky. To date, the sale has raised over $600,000 for the PDJF.

“The season donors as well as the buyers in both racing industries upped their game this year to help those former jockeys who gave a big part of lives to this sport and we thank them all,” said Jockeys and Jeans President Barry Pearl.

Jockeys and Jeans, founded in late 2014 by five former jockeys, has raised over $2.7 million for the PDJF through an annual fund-raising event and stallion season sale.

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Jockey Avery Whisman Passes Away at 23

Jockey Avery Whisman, who rode in the Mid-Atlantic region after beginning his career in 2018, passed away Wednesday at the age of 23 after what his family described as a “prolonged illness.” He was at his parents' home in Versailles, Kentucky at the time of his passing. Whisman had not ridden since accepting mounts Aug. 23 at Presque Isle Downs.

Though Whisman had been ill, his mother, Salli, described his passing as “a sudden an unexcepted event.”

“He absolutely loved the sport,” Salli Whisman said. “He was an incredible horseman. If you talked to anybody in the industry who worked with him they will tell you he was always kind and gracious and polite and had an incredible smile on his face. When he was on a horse he was only thinking about that horse and he brought all the skills he learned as a youngster. He could settle any horse. Everyone loved how quietly he sat on a horse and how he could read what horse needed.”

“From the time I first met him, we just clicked,” said trainer Matthew Kintz. “We had a lot of success together last year. I was really looking forward to him having a bright future. I'm thankful I was able to enjoy the time I did have with him because he was a great guy.”

After learning of Whisman's death, Hall of Famer Mike Smith took to Twitter to pay tribute to the young jockey.

“R.I.P my little brother you will Always be so Loved,” read his tweet.

Whisman met Smith when he moved to Southern California in the summer of 2018 where he went to prepare for his career. Smith took Whisman under his wing and gave him boots and the saddle he used win winning the GI Kentucky Derby in 2005 aboard Giacomo (Holy Bull). The same saddle was given to Smith by Laffit Pincay Jr. when he retired in 2003.

Salli Whisman said the entire family was involved in eventing and that her son had been around horses since he was a toddler.

“I wanted to have a career where I could ride,” Avery Whisman told the Laurel media relations department in 2019. “I love riding horses, I love working with them in the mornings and teaching them and trying to make them better and improve every single day. Just being around horses, it's what I love. I wanted to find a career where I could do that for the rest of my life. Unfortunately in the eventing and show world, there's not really any kind of money in it. You can't support yourself doing that, so when I started galloping and started making a little money and started getting a little taste of the racing industry, I loved it. It made the most sense.”

Whisman made his debut Dec. 18, 2018 at Turf Paradise. He would move to the Maryland circuit in 2019 and also rode winners at Presque Isle and at Colonial Downs.

“He was a bit of an adrenaline junky,” his mother said. “He loved the speed.”

Whisman had 90 career winners. His best year came in 2019 when he had 53 winners.

He is survived by his mother, his father Lyman, a former steeplechase jockey, and sisters Caitlin Pinkney-Atkinson, Emma Whisman and Clare McCabe. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

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