This Friday marks opening day at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ, as well as the first time the new state-mandated whip rules will be in effect. These are the strictest whip rules in the United States, allowing jockeys to only use the crop for reasons of safety.
According to bloodhorse.com, Monmouth has threatened that jockeys who refuse mounts on Friday will not be allowed to ride at the track for the remainder of the 2021 meet.
“We are having a problem with guys who have been on the backstretch all monthlong working horses and have calls and are now they are saying they won't ride Friday but they will ride Saturday,” John Heims, director of racing and racing secretary at Monmouth, told bloodhorse.com. “We are not going to let people stick it to us and cost us money by canceling racing. If you feel unsafe Friday, how are you safe Saturday? If it's unsafe and you don't want to ride, I get it. No one is asking you to do something you are uncomfortable doing. The rule is not changing, so if you will not ride Friday since you believe it's unsafe, why would you ride any other day?”
Entries for Friday's card close Tuesday. Heim said he has 12 jockeys lined up to ride Friday, and that a trio of jockeys serving suspensions through Friday (Paco Lopez, Nik Juarez, and Ferrin Peterson) will not be affected by the ban.
Read more at bloodhorse.com.
The post ‘The Rule Is Not Changing’: Monmouth Threatens To Ban Jockeys Who Refuse Mounts On Opening Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
