New Jersey Riders receive increase in mount fees

The new losing mount fee has been raised to $100.  Previously, losing mount fees ranged from $50 on the low end to $80 on the upper end of the purse scale.

 

The Guild sought the designation as representative of the riders to allow the formation of an insurance trust, the New Jersy Jockeys Health and Welfare Trust.   Its trustees will include three active New Jersey riders, Joe Bravo, Chris DeCarlo, and C.C. Lopez, as well as Dennis Drazin, president of the NJTHA, Terry Meyocks, national manager of the Jockeys' Guild and Dr. Angelo Chinicci, medical director for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority.

 

The trust will complete its organizational formalities in the next week and is planning to report to the Commission before its December 3, 2008 meeting on the plan of benefits that will be adopted, the eligibility requirements for participation in these benefits and the payments riders will need to make to participate in the insurance program.

 

Dennis Drazin, President of the NJTHA stated: "The NJTHA on behalf of all New Jersey horsemen sincerely appreciate the efforts of the New Jersey jockey colony.  Not only are we proud of their contribution to New Jersey racing but we are especially proud of an opportunity to work with them and Dr. Angelo Chinnici to move forward in an attempt to bring health insurance to New Jersey jockeys and their families."

 

"It is a particularly good time for the Guild with the emergence from Chapter 11, the success in raising the losing mount fees to $100 and the designation of the Guild as the representative for New Jersey jockeys, said Terry Meyocks, national manager of the Jockeys' Guild.  "I want to thank the New Jersey Racing Commissioners as well as Frank Zanzuccki for supporting these measures and Dennis Drazin for his help supporting the trust and participating as a trustee.  Once again it is clear that the industry can accomplish more by cooperation than being adversaries."

 

The raise in losing mount fees follows increases through legislation in California last fall and negotiated increases this year at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Finger Lakes, Calder, Fairmount Park, Hawthorne and Arlington Park.  Additionally, jockeys at Philadelphia Park and Penn National also received an increase.

 

"We appreciate the cooperation of the horsemen, racing commissions and track managements that have finalized agreements with us," Meyocks said.  "In many states, the jockeys have not received a meaningful increase in decades.  We are currently negotiating with representatives of a number of other jurisdictions to reach similar agreements."  The Jockeys Guild