Terry Meyocks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jockeys’ Guild, HISA Host Jockey Mental Wellness Symposium

The Jockeys' Guild and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) on Tuesday hosted a first-ever symposium at Keeneland in an effort to generate discussion on how the Thoroughbred industry can work together to advance the mental well-being of jockeys across the country.

Retired NFL player Randy Grimes, who advocates for appropriate and accessible mental wellness and addiction-related resources for professional athletes, gave the keynote address, and retired jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who penned the book “Riding for Freedom,” also spoke on his lifelong struggles with mental wellness and addiction and his goal of helping others, particularly other jockeys, overcome similar difficulties off the track.

Additionally, FGS Global shared the results of an anonymous survey of 230 jockeys recently conducted to evaluate mental wellness needs and determine what kinds of resources and support services would be most impactful.

The survey found:
• 10% of jockeys describe their mental health as “poor”
• A third have had challenges in their daily lives over the past month due to feelings of sadness, depression, or anxiety.
• 93% are concerned about financial stability and providing for their families

Also, lack of financial security, making weight, the pressure to win and lack of a livable wage were among the biggest pressures the jockeys said they faced, with barriers to seeking help being the fear of losing work and a general stigma around asking for support.

“The Jockeys' Guild appreciates all of the jockeys who took the time to complete the survey,” Terry Meyocks, Jockeys' Guild President and CEO said. “The number of responses just reiterates the importance of mental health and wellness for our athletes. We also appreciate all of the input and interest by industry participants in this first step in addressing jockeys' mental health. It is a very complex topic and it is necessary to have discussions like today on the best way to move forward. The ultimate goal is that we as an industry will be able to support and find solutions for, not only the jockeys, but everyone in our industry.”

Potential resources that respondents expressed the most interest in to help address their challenges included nutritional support services to help safely maintain weight, access to a sports psychologist, career transition resources for retirement and personal finance assistance.

“HISA's responsibility to oversee safety in racing certainly includes the mental wellbeing of its athletes,” Lisa Lazarus, HISA's CEO, said. “The results of this survey serve as a reminder of the many challenges jockeys face. We are grateful to all the jockeys who shared their experiences and feedback, all of which will be crucial in our efforts to advance the wellbeing of current and future riders across the country.”

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HISA, Jockeys’ Guild Join Forces to Support Jockey Health and Mental Wellness

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Jockeys' Guild have launched an industry initiative to provide jockeys and riders with mental wellness support and resources. The organizations will be sending a survey to jockeys and exercise riders relating to their mental wellness needs and will use results of the anonymous survey as a starting point for building a framework to effectively use collective resources to address riders' most important health and safety needs.

“HISA is tasked with regulatory oversight for jockey welfare and we are delighted to be working collaboratively with the Jockeys' Guild to determine how we can best support the health and safety of riders, including in the critical area of mental wellness,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus.

Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of the Jockeys' Guild, added, “Jockeys' well-being, including their health and welfare, is and has been the main priority of the Jockeys' Guild since its inception in 1940. Jockeys, as well as the exercise riders and others at the racetrack, have an immense amount of pressure on them both physically and mentally. We are encouraged by the response of HISA to help us prioritize jockey and exercise rider health, and we are hopeful that we will have industry support to address these important issues for the riders and their families.”

HISA is also in the process of planning an industry stakeholders meeting, “to discuss these important issues and drive collaboration on a national level,” according to a HISA release.

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Jockey Alex Canchari Passes Away

Midwest-based jockey Alex Chanchari passed away Wednesday at the age of 29.

His passing was confirmed in a tweet by Canterbury Park, where Canchari had 334 career winners.

“Alex Canchari achieved his dream as a jockey, following in the footsteps of his father and brother,” the tweet read. “The news of this talented and genuine young man's death has deeply saddened the Canterbury Park family.”

Though no cause of death had been revealed by Thursday morning, it appears that Canchari's death involved mental health issues.

“My heart physically hurts,” his sister, Ashley, wrote on Facebook. “I'm so sorry you were in so much pain Alex and thought there was no other way out. I know you're happy again with Dad. I don't even know what else to say, this is an unbelievable loss.”

The Canchari family has had to deal with a number of devastating setbacks in recent years. Family patriarch Luis Canchari, who came to the U.S. from Peru and was a jockey and a trainer, passed away in December of 2020. That same year, Canchari's brother Patrick suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car wreck near Turf Paradise. Doctors told his family the injury could keep him in a vegetated state the rest of his life, but he has made notable progress in recent months.

“This family has gone to hell and back several times,” said Terry Meyocks, president and CEO of the Jockeys' Guild.

Canchari, a native of Shakopee, Minnesota, where Canterbury Park is located, began his career in 2011. He had one of his best years in 2012, winning 101 races. He had 1,044 wins during his career and has career earnings of $28,619,989. Canchari had not ridden since Oct. 2 at Prairie Meadows.

Canchari's death came about seven weeks after jockey Avery Whisman passed away at 23. Whisman's family also brought up mental health issues when discussing his death.

“We've been talking to HISA about jockeys and the mental health issues they face since November,” Meyocks said. “It's on the top of our list and is something that needs to be discussed. This is a tough game. Hall of Fame jockeys win at 18-20 percent and regular jocks when less than that. They get taken off of horses. The foal crop is down and there's fewer opportunities for them. With the daily trials and tribulations of being a jockey it's clear to see why depression sets in.”

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PDJF Awareness Day at Saratoga July 30

The riders competing at Saratoga Race Course will participate in a host of activities Saturday, July 30 to raise awareness and funding for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

Highlighting the day's events will be a special meet and greet and autograph session with riders from the Saratoga jockey colony, who will sign autographs on the Jockey Silks Room Porch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fans who make a donation to the PDJF will receive a commemorative poster.

This year, PDJF Day was selected to coincide with this week's National Disability Independence Day, which marks the 32nd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990

“We thank the many jockeys from Saratoga and around the country for supporting this effort to heighten awareness of the Americans with Disabilities Act and assist in raising funds for the PDJF,” said Terry Meyocks, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Jockeys' Guild and a member of the Board of Directors of the PDJF. “We also are immensely grateful to everyone who contributes financially to the PDJF.”

In conjunction with PDJF Day, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund will be featured at the Community Outreach Booth Saturday. The PDJF provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Since its founding in 2006, the fund has disbursed nearly $11 million dollars to permanently disabled jockeys.

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