Jockeys Guild News and Articles

Can a rocking horse save jockeys lives?

‘The first thing to hit the ground was the horse’s nose, followed a second later by my nose and I woke up in Walton hospital,’ said the seven-times champion jump jockey.

It could have been more serious, of course, but Francome appreciates the importance of preparing for the worst. 

Which was why he was at the British Racing School in Newmarket last week as a succession of young jockeys were taught the art of how to fall off a horse safely.

It was a sight to stir the blood on the coldest day; young jockeys cheerfully being fired into orbit from the French-built ‘equichute’ time and again, under the battle-hardened eye of former jump jockey Steve Smith Eccles.

Falls and serious injuries are an inevitable part of jump racing.

This summer alone, more than a dozen leading jockeys have been forced onto the sidelines including Robert Thornton, Andrew Thornton, Timmy Murphy, Jason Maguire, Wayne Hutchinson and flat racing’s champion Ryan Moore.

But for three days last week, thanks to the initiative of the Injured Jockeys Fund, inexperienced amateurs and conditionals were put through their paces on a fall simulator bought by the Alborada Trust. 

Fall guys: Young jockeys learn how to take a tumble safely at the British Racing School

Francome is a passionate advocate of the machine.

‘There is absolutely no doubt it will save lives and prevent no end of injuries,’ he said. ‘If it stops one person a year from ending up in a wheelchair, then it has paid for itself 10 times over.

‘It will be good for everybody from jockeys to happy hackers and event riders. In my view, everyone who rides should go on this machine.

‘I saw Jason Maguire starting his comeback in the gym the other day. He wouldn’t have broken his leg if he’d learned how to fall.’

Francome was an instant convert to the machine. He recalled: ‘I popped over to France to see it with Brough Scott, chairman of the IJF. 

Going: Jockey learns how to hit the deck

Once we saw it in action, we knew straight away that we had to have one. ‘It is so obvious. Anyone who has ever ridden can see the benefits.

The great thing is that it teaches riders to be proactive and do something when they come off as opposed to just waiting to hit the ground.’

The years rolled back for Francome and Scott as they both tried out the equichute for themselves and immediately found the ground rushing up to meet them.

Scott said: ‘Helping to avoid injury by using this machine rather than picking up the pieces has to make sense.’

Francome goes further.

He said: ‘You don’t become a sky diver without any training on how to land. But nobody ever teaches you what to do when you fall off a horse, and if you can’t manouevre yourself to fall off properly, you are a risk and should not be riding. 

Gone: A budding jockey learns how to hit the deck

‘Once they lose contact with the horse, the majority of riders don’t do anything to protect themselves.

'By using this machine under Steve’s instruction, the lads are learning to tuck in their shoulders and keep rolling to get away from the horse. That’s the key to avoiding injury.

‘Jockeys have to get used to falling because it is part of the job. Plenty of them will gain confidence from practising on it.’  ByJonathan Powell/Daily Mail

Race for Leading Rider at Saratoga

John Velazquez leads by one win over Javier Castellano who’s six up on the pesky Ramon Dominguez who’s hanging around enough to be counted in and not out. After those three, it’s a tax bracket to Julien Leparoux and Alan Garcia.

Three professionals show up for work; on time every day, punch in, punch out. While some jockeys fall off the tracks, these three hold steady, hands at 10 and 2, straight down the middle lane. They are in the zone.

John Velazquez: 38.

Javier Castellano: 37.

Ramon Dominguez: 31.

Not for long.

Dominguez wins the early double; holding and cajoling Remark to win the 9-furlong maiden in a photo and then keeps the second simple by staying out of trouble aboard Cheeky Mama. Last year’s champion ain’t dead yet.

Dominguez, 33, has gradually carved his initials on New York. He and his agent Steve Rushing tested the waters here for several summers, then tested the frozen air at Aqueduct before committing for good. They’ve won 10 titles in a row and would hate to break the streak here in the public’s eye. Long hold, uncanny balance, Dominguez gets horses to relax when others can’t. His ride on Avenging, a maiden claimer on the turf for Tom Voss, was patent Dominguez. He stayed off the horse’s mouth, allowed him to settle and won while drifting out. The horse enjoyed it. Dominguez rides all morning; Rick Dutrow, Barclay Tagg, Todd Pletcher – whoever needs him, whenever they need him. Sincere and thoughtful, Dominguez drives a Honda to the barn, likes to cook sushi and uses a day in his workshop, making things, as a release.

Castellano counters Dominguez’s double by taking the Ann Clare with favorite Yawkey Way who bests Dominguez on maiden Watkins Glen. Castellano pumps his whip underhanded and understated after the wire. It’s not his most polished win, but it’s a win. That’s 38, but who’s counting? Hello John Velazquez, nice to see you again.

Velazquez runs out of stamina in the first, winding up third aboard Super Espresso. He finishes next-to-last in the second. He fades to fourth aboard the favorite in the fourth. He’s got more ammo to fire.

The VCD Line allows Cornelio Velasquez to win the fourth. Linda Rice scratches Doest from the fifth, demoting Dominguez to the jocks’ room along with Velazquez, keeping an eye on Castellano who rides Tiger Willie.

Castellano tries to go for a hole between a tiring Tidal Slam and a rallying Gamblin Fever, can’t make that seam, goes back to the rail and skims through to win. That’s 39, Castellano is in front, one win above Velazquez. Suddenly Dominguez’s double to open the card is old news.

Castellano, 32, has steadily worked onto the speed dial of New York trainers. It seems like he’s been here forever; polite, unassuming, steady and finally getting the rides to put him in the thick of a title run. Castellano and agent Matt Muzikar have formed a solid relationship; they call each other by a mutual nickname, “Partner.” They’ve partnered to become the go-to rider for prolific Saratoga stables George Weaver, Chad Brown, Jimmy Jerkens and stock the shelves with rides from Todd Pletcher and others. Castellano waited his turn while the guard changed from Bailey to Prado to Velazquez and now he’s finally one of the guards. He used to just miss up here, whether it was stock or experience, he always held his own in the top 10. Now he’s top 3.

Dominguez, Velazquez and Castellano ride the sixth, all aboard first-time starters. Dominguez finishes last and can’t see what’s happening way off in the distance. Castellano stokes Silent Joy to nail Orangeblackandgold in the final stride. And that makes 40.

“So far, it’s gone the right way,” Castellano said. “Those guys are tough, they never give up. The more I win, the more they win. Johnny’s a good rider. Ramon’s a good rider. We are all very competitive, let’s all go out and have fun and try to win some races. Hopefully it will come to the end of the meet. For me, it’s big. For them, it’s nothing, they’ve won so many leading jockey titles, I say, ‘Come on guys, let me just have this meet.’ ”

Not a chance.

Velazquez didn’t win four titles by accident, he offers the ride of the meet, slicing and dicing to get Pleasant Strike home in the seventh. He beats Skipadate, with none other than Castellano. The two-win swing is crucial.

Velazquez, 38, has been here before; battling for a Saratoga title. Velazquez broke Bailey’s grip, winning his first title in 1998, the only jockey other than Bailey to win the Saratoga title from 1994 to 2001. Velazquez took two more in 2003-04 while sparring with Prado. He’s back in his comfort zone, winning races with alacrity and precision. Velazquez started in New York in 1990, he’s made anybody who knows him proud since. Vocal and opinionated, Velazquez stands up and fights for what he believes. Pletcher’s first call for so many years, he rides the fortune of that stable, his horses have earned about $600,000 more than Castellano and $1 million more than Dominguez at this meet. Velazquez’s agent, Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero, doesn’t spend time in a golfcart like most agents, he’s on the back of prospective mounts all day every day. He breezed one for David Donk Wednesday morning, test driving.

“The toughest part is staying on the top, there is no doubt in anybody’s mind, staying focused, doing the right thing all the time, trying to make the right decisions all the time. Everything has to fall into the place,” Velazquez said. “Javier’s riding very well, he’s grown a lot over the years, he’s getting the momentum, he’s been doing well for a long time but he hasn’t gotten the breaks to be leading rider, it looks like me, it took me nine years for the first time.”

Velazquez nearly re-rallies to win the Albany with Ibboyee but can’t run down Prado aboard Stormy’s Majesty. Castellano and Dominguez follow right behind, two, three, four.

Without a ride in the last, Dominguez is the first one to leave; he wins two and loses ground to Castellano. Tough game.

Castellano and Velazquez fail to threaten with their rides in the finale.

At the end of the day, Castellano knows the score.

How many did you win today?

“Three.”

How many did Ramon win?

“Two.”

How many did Johnny win?

“One.”

Who’s in front?

NATIONAL FUND RAISER FOR INJURED JOCKEY TAD LEGGETT

            On that day, both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys are asked to donate a losing mount fee to assist Tad’s family and help with costs associated with his care and rehabilitation.  Tad suffered a broken neck on June 30 immediately after the third race at Fair Meadows Racetrack in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

            After undergoing two extensive surgeries for the spinal injuries and to stabilize his neck,   Leggett was transported to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, where he is currently undergoing rehabilitation.  Craig Hospital specializes in rehabilitation and therapy for catastrophic cervical spinal cord injuries.

 Because of the considerable costs associated with the procedures and rehabilitation, Leggett's medical care is reaching the insurance limits of the $500,000 on-track accident policy provided by Fair Meadows at Tulsa. 

            “We need the help of anybody and everybody to assist with Tad’s medical expenses,” said Terry Meyocks, National Manager of the Jockeys’ Guild.  “Tad deserves a real chance to make a full recovery.  It is necessary to raise this money to give Tad an opportunity to recover from his catastrophic injury.”

            Tad has made significant progress over the past several weeks have regained feeling and some movement in his extremities.   His wife, Tina, and family are optimistic regarding his recovery. 

             To bring awareness to Leggett, and in his honor, jockeys will be riding with a boot decal with Tad’s name.   Other promotional events to raise funds will be held at various tracks, including an autograph signing at Ruidoso Downs prior to the running of the All-American Futurity with Quarter Horse jockeys, including G.R. Carter, Cody Jensen and Hall of Fame Jockey, Jerry Nicodemus.   

Leggett is a 25-year journeyman jockey who has been an active member of the Jockeys' Guild since 1992.  He is the career leader in Quarter Horse victories at Prairie Meadows, winning over 400 Quarter Horse races.  He has also ridden at Remington Park, Lone Star Park and Canterbury Park. 

The Jockeys' Guild is facilitating establishment of a fund to assist Tad Leggett and his family.  Those wishing to donate should send checks to the Jockeys' Guild and mailed to 103 Wind Haven Drive, Ste 200, Nicholasville, KY  40356.  Please make note of “Tad Leggett” on the check's memo line. 

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Contact: Jockeys’ Guild

               (859) 305-0606

Jockeys' choice: Ride at Saratoga or on the road

It’s a calculated risk, but one that both jockeys and their agents may consider worth taking; sometimes for immediate benefit and sometimes for long-term benefit.

Usually when jockeys leave their “home track,” it’s just for approximately one to three mounts in stakes races. But they might be giving up riding in seven to nine races, including a stake or two, at their own track.

“It’s real simple,” said Mike Sellito, agent for jockey Kent Desormeaux. “Most of the time you go out of town for a horse that’s either a horse you’ve been riding and winning stakes on, or it’s for a customer that you regularly ride for. It’s a pretty easy decision.”

Jockeys never need to worry about transportation costs, as owners of the horses jockeys will ride for always pay those.

Desormeaux, a Hall of Fame rider, went to Arlington Park in Chicago on Saturday to ride favored Paddy O’Prado in the $400,000 Secretariat, contender Treat Gently in the $750,000 Beverly D and contender Besitos in the $62,300 Hatoof Stakes. He had a pretty good day, as Paddy O’Prado won, Treat Gently placed fifth and Besitos placed second.

For the most part, jockeys receive 10 percent of the owner’s share when their horse wins, five percent of the owner’s share for second- or third-place finishes and, approximately, $75 to $100 for lower places, depending on the state and/or track. That means Desormeaux earned nearly $25,000 personally, not counting his fee to Sellito.

Of course, bad luck happens sometimes, and the winnings can end up being not so much as if the jockey had stayed at his home base.

“You don’t worry about that,” Sellito said. “It’s a regular customer, a horse you’re riding regularly. It’s a no-brainer.”

This summer, journeyman jockey Mike Luzzi has struggled to get mounts at Saratoga. Through Sunday, he had 36 mounts, with two wins, six second and three thirds. Twice during this summer — once while he was riding at Belmont Park and the other while he was riding at Saratoga — Luzzi opted to ride in stakes races at Finger Lakes.

It’s paid off nicely. The first time, he rode Ibboyee to victory in the $161,600 New York Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher. The next time, he earned a win aboard Propensity in an $8,000 claiming race and a second aboard Ruffino in the $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Handicap for trainer Jim Bond. So, his trip to Finger Lakes for Bond earned him $980 personally, but it wasn’t just the money Luzzi, a winner of more than 3,000 career races, was thinking about.

“Jimmy Bond, we don’t ride much for him anymore, so the opportunity came up and we took advantage because you’re trying to better yourself for the future with him,” Luzzi’s agent, Kevin Meyocks, said.

“(Bond) used to use him a lot, but he hasn’t lately,” Meyocks added. “Just by going there, it’s a way to get us on his radar screen.”

Sometimes the pros and cons between staying or going out of town are more even. Then, Sellito said, you weigh other factors.

“The big part is who you ride regularly for — if you’re riding for a certain outfit for the whole meet (rather than) someone you don’t ride that much for,” Sellito said. “There are a few things that go into it, but it’s usually cut and dried.”

Meyocks said the most important thing to remember is that everybody from the owners down wants to win and make money.

KARLSSON LEADS “YOUNG GUNS” TO VICTORY

 “My horse was running real easy,” Karlsson said of her mount, which was drawn by lot when entries were taken for the one mile turf race which was sponsored by the track’s leading owner Frank C. Calabrese.  “At the three-eighths, I looked back and I could see Earlie (jockey Fires on Bobby Sands) coming.  He was blowing hard and I didn’t know if it was the horse or him (blowing that hard). When I turned for home I asked him, and he took off.

 “It was very exciting to be riding along side my idols and I hope this is the start of a big weekend for me,” said Karlsson, who rides Robert Courtney Jr’s Rahystrada in Saturday’s Grade I Arlington Million.

 Karlsson’s four-length victory aboard Saint Leon was worth 12 points while Earlie Fires, representing the Cagey Veterans, earned 10 points for his runner-up finish aboard Bobby Sands.

 “This is really for a good cause, the charities, the backside and the Chaplain,” said Fires, the Hall of Fame jockey who retired in 2008 with 6,470 victories.  “It was a lot of fun to do it, and everyone got interested. I was following one of the current jockeys, I figured he knew the pace so I was sitting along side of him, and then I didn't have enough horse.”

 Rounding out the top five in the race with their jockey and point totals were Serengeti Tour (Junior Alvarado for the Young Guns, seven points); Mining for Silver (James Graham for the Young Guns, six points); and Snapphok (Otto Thorwarth for the Cagey Veterans, four points).

The Jockey Challenge pitted five of Arlington’s top riders which included in addition to those listed above Michael Baze and Jesus Castanon against five retired jockeys including Patti Cooksey, Zoe Cadman and Mark Guidry as well as those listed above.  The proceeds from the wagering on the race were donated to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund and the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America.

 Saint Leon paid $5.80, $4 and $3.20 as the 19-10 betting favorite.  Bobby Sands returned $3.60 and $3.20.  Serengeti Tour paid $5.20.Arlington Park Communications Department

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Jockey Karlsson takes unusual route to Arlington Million

A trip back home to remember

Garrett Gomez Named Jockey of the Week

Toxic proteins found in spinal cords

Retired jockey Stevens hurt in training accident

Stevens, 47, was scheduled to participate in a parimutuel race next Friday at Arlington Park, pitting five retired jockeys against five current riders at Arlington’s meet. Stevens will have to cancel that engagement.

Stevens was working the 2-year-old Thatcatismine - in company with the unraced 2-year-old Dance City, with fellow Hall of Famer Angel Cordero up - when Thatcatismine suffered a fatal internal injury and fell just a few strides past the finish line. Stevens was unseated and fell as the horse collapsed. Thatcatismine died instantly from either a heart attack or ruptured aorta, trainer Todd Pletcher believes. A necropsy was to be performed, Pletcher added.

Stevens got up and eventually left the main track on his own power, but was later taken by a friend to Albany Medical Center to get examined. Doctors there confirmed the injury, said Stevens, who was released early in the afternoon.

“Clean break,” Stevens said Sunday afternoon. “Doesn’t need any surgery or anything; just hurts like a son of a gun.”

Stevens had broken his collarbone once before and said he felt it break Sunday when he hit the ground. He stayed on the track for about 10 minutes, while track officials tended to the fallen horse.

“I felt it when it happened, but my adrenaline was running pretty good, and I was standing on the track with Todd for a while,” Stevens said. “The longer I was out there, the dizzier I was getting. I knew when I was sitting in [Pletcher’s] office it wasn’t a bruise.”

At 6 a.m., Stevens worked another horse for Pletcher without incident. This accident came following the renovation break and at a time when the track is open to the public. The grandstand was full of patrons.

Stevens said he had been getting on horses for Pletcher at Churchill Downs during the spring and continued to get on horses when Del Mar’s meeting opened in late July.

“I hate going to the gym, and I like staying fit,” Stevens said.

Stevens did not have an exercise rider’s license in the state of New York, and the stewards fined Pletcher $200 for employing unlicensed help.

Stevens, who retired in 2005 and briefly went into training, won 4,888 races in his career, including the Kentucky Derby three times.

Stevens said the injury was “a quick reminder why I’m not doing this anymore.”

Stevens currently works for the racing network HRTV. He is scheduled to be part of the crew that will cover Saturday’s Arlington Million. Stevens said he hopes to fly out to Chicago on Thursday.  Daily Racing Form

Australian Jockey and Trainer Volunteer in Rwanda

Tyler Baze Continues Recovery

I'm feeling good, the jockey reported from his Monrovia home Wednesday.

My sight in my right eye is still a little off, but the doctor tells me he expects that to get better in the next 10 to 12 days. The surgery [a week ago] went well and I got stitches out of my nose on Tuesday.

 As for a possible return date, Baze added, "Everything depends on my vision. It should level out soon. I''ll let my body tell me when it's ready and then I'll be ready.

Right now, I I'm just chomping at the bit to get back to riding." Thoroughbred Daily News

Derek Uses Award to Recognize Migliore

Stunned and groggy from the fall, Migliore nevertheless had the presence of mind to look after his mount.

“When I came to, I saw that Honest Wildcat was trying to get up, and I could see that he was badly hurt,” Migliore said. “I knew he’d try to get up and run down the track.”

Crawling to Honest Wildcat, Migliore cradled the horse’s head in his arms.

“I knew he couldn’t stand if he couldn’t get his head up, so I made sure to keep it down,” he said.

Migliore’s humane act was reported locally, and 3,000 miles away, Bo Derek took note.

Derek serves on the California Horse Racing Board and campaigns against horse slaughter. Equine Advocates honored her with the organization’s Safe Home Equine Protection Award at its July 29 dinner in Saratoga Springs. Equine Advocates is a national non-profit equine protection organization based in Chatham, New York.

In agreeing to accept the award, Derek asked that Equine Advocates also honor a jockey, and she chose Migliore as the first recipient of a special commendation.

“Riders should get more credit and encouragement for doing the right thing with horses,” Derek said. “I know that their actions have saved horses. They’re on the horses every day, and they can feel when a horse isn’t right.

“Jockeys deserve to be recognized for taking care of the horses.”

Susan Wagner, president and founder of Equine Advocates, was immediately receptive.

“Richard Migliore is a kind, compassionate guy,” she said. “He’s in a class by himself, and it’s a shame that his wonderful career was cut short.”

Migliore was recognized for his “long and illustrious career as a jockey” and for his “concern and attention to the safety and humane treatment of the horses” he rode.

In his typical modest fashion, Migliore downplayed his actions.

“It was instinct,” he said months after the incident. “I didn’t do anything special.”

Derek disagrees.

“What he did was courageous,” she said.

Wagner and Derek are committed to honoring jockeys who demonstrate care for the welfare of the horse, and are considering making this commendation annually.

“Honoring Migliore was a great addition to our event,” Wagner said.

Migliore retired this year when unable to return from his injuries. He won 4,450 races from 30,111 mounts who earned $160,205,725 in purses. His 178 graded stakes victories include 25 Grade 1 wins.

Teresa Genaro is a Brooklyn-based correspondent of Thoroughbred Times

Hall of Fame welcomes new class of great ones

“I’m a pretty emotional guy. I don’t want to embarrass myself,” Pierce said earlier this week at Del Mar.

Fat chance of that happening. The inclusion of Pierce, made possible by the Hall of Fame’s historic review committee, was long overdue, recognition of his excellence during an era that was dominated by his close friend, the late Bill Shoemaker. Pierce won 3,546 races, including four runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap, before his retirement in 1984.

“I figured it had to happen some day,” said Pierce, 73. “I was on the ballot a couple of times in the 1980s, and then it was like they forgot about me, I guess. I don’t make much noise. I’m just glad it happened before I kicked the bucket. But, you know, if it was easy to get into, it wouldn’t be worth getting into.”

Pierce is part of a Hall of Fame class that has a decidedly California flavor. The historic review committee also went for Buster Millerick, best known as the trainer of three-time Hollywood Gold Cup winner Native Diver. The contemporary inductees include Azeri, Best Pal, and Point Given, all California-based runners. Jockey Randy Romero is also being inducted, as is the horse Harry Bassett, a two-time champion of the 1870s who, like Pierce and Millerick, was chosen by the historic review committee.

The ceremony, open to the public, begins at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time Friday at the newly renovated Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion. Seating is limited and is available on a first-come basis. The ceremony will be shown live on HRTV, and streamed live on the Internet at www.racingmuseum.org .

Pierce said he figures he’s going to be roasted a bit, both by John Rotz, the jockey who will introduce Pierce, and Gary Stevens, the keynote speaker, who played golf with Pierce just last week.

“He beat me, but I had to give him 12 shots,” Pierce said. “I give my grandmother 12 shots.”

Jockeys are usually the most popular of the inductees, as this year figures to be no exception, owing to the inclusion of Romero, 52, whose hard-luck career has endeared him to fans. Romero, who won 4,294 races, had the highest highs, including riding the unbeaten Personal Ensign to her dramatic victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and the lowest lows, including being badly burned in a hot box accident at Oaklawn Park in 1983, and thrown from Go for Wand when she suffered fatal injuries in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Romero undergoes kidney dialysis three times a week.

Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year and a three-time divisional champion, won 17 of 24 starts, including 11 Grade 1 races and three consecutive runnings of the Apple Blossom.

Best Pal won the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, and Pacific Classic during a career that extended to age 8. He won 18 of 47 starts, 17 of those wins in stakes.

70-YEAR-OLD JOCKEY WINS STAKES RACE AT RIVER DOWNS

On Tuesday the 70-year-old jockey rode the Quarter Horse Fearless Fred to victory Fred to victory in the $15,000 Queen City Dash at River Downs. The veteran was more than familiar with Fearless Fred’s family. “I rode his mother and his grandmother and won a stakes race on his brother at Mount Pleasant recently.”  Rettele grew up in Baileyville, Kansas where his father Joe was a jockey riding on a regular circuit there. “I took out my license in my early 20’s and rode on the same circuit,” said Rettele after stretching his legs prior to the Queen City Dash. “I started working for the legendary Marion Van Berg, father of Jack Van Berg, and I worked with him for 16 years until he died.  I learned a lot about training horses from Marion and I started training thoroughbreds at Detroit and Hazel Park.” “Race horses have been my total living,” Rettele stated. “I started riding Quarter Horses before they kept records. Right now we’ve got about 50 horses, my wife Carol trains the Quarter Horses and I handle the thoroughbreds.  I only gallop eight or ten each day- I do have to take it easy somewhat.  I like it, nice horses keep you going – if not, that road gets awful long.  As long as I’m healthy I plan to continue to ride.  Rettele out rode six other jockeys in the Queen City Dash just missing setting a new track record for the 350 yards by .055 of a second.  As long as his horses are running like that, it may be a while yet before he trades his well-worn saddle for a rocking chair.  River Downs Communications Department

Jockeys always bounce back.

Tyler Baze is 27, and he loves his job. He loves everything about being a jockey, which includes all the rough stuff, the rejection, and losing more than 80 percent of the time. Okay, he doesn’t like that part so much, nor does he arise each morning looking forward to the demands of extreme weight control. But that’s all part of the tour for which he signed on, body and soul, and the mantra is simple: It’s worth it.

That is why he is determined to get back to work as quickly as possible, just as soon as his facial fractures heal from an incident at Del Mar on the first Saturday of the meet, when a horse lashed back and cracked Baze flush in the mug behind the starting gate, shattering the orbital bone around his right eye and otherwise turning Tyler’s choirboy countenance black and blue. He would like to be able to say, “You should see the other guy.” But in racing, is doesn’t work that way.

Baze is not alone, which is no consolation, but at least provides recent context. Tad Leggett, 45, broke his neck on June 30 at Fair Meadows in Tulsa, Okla., when the Quarter Horse he was riding fell while pulling up. Craig Gibbs, 22, suffered head trauma when he went down between horses at Penn National on July 24, the same day Baze was hurt. On Thursday of this week at Del Mar, Joe Talamo, 20, fractured his left wrist when his horse broke down near the finish line of a turf race.

And then there is Scott Stevens, 49, who was trampled at Canterbury Park on the evening of July 2 when his mount broke both front legs while leading the field. Three other riders went down in the ensuing pile-up, but it was Stevens who had to be helicoptered to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

“Right now it’s the ribs and the sternum that’s the painful part,” said Stevens, older brother of Hall of Famer Gary Stevens. “The sternum’s broke in three pieces, and when I asked my doctor how many ribs were broken, he said somewhere between six and 22.”

The pain Stevens can deal with. Even a degree of numbness in both hands will eventually abate, when the swelling on pinched nerves subsides. What sticks with Stevens, though, is the awful memory of his collapsed lungs, and the fact that he could not breathe.

“There’s been lots of times I’ve had the wind knocked out of me, and I’m thinking, okay, in a minute it will come back,” Stevens said. “But it got worse and worse. They had oxygen on me, and it wasn’t making any difference. Then I started getting into a panic. Later on I thanked my doctor for saving me, and he said I needed to thank the paramedics. If they hadn’t decompressed my chest right there on the racetrack, I had about another minute.”

Both Baze and Stevens survived variations on a dangerous theme: full force contact with the head of a horse. At such moments, the awful memory of Alvaro Pineda comes to life, from Jan. 18, 1975, when he was killed in the starting gate at Santa Anita.

“I believe I was hurt before I ever hit the ground,” Stevens said. “When she broke both in front, she just dropped. And instead of it pulling me in front of her, she threw me right on top of her head. No question the vest probably saved my life. But I broke my helmet when I got hit from behind. I have a perfect hoof print on the top of the left side.”

Stevens was told, at least in the view of one reporter, that after a career of 34 years and more than 4,000 winners, he could take a year off if he wanted. See some sights. Get a tan. Who knows? Maybe even retire.

“I’ve thought about it, and there’s still nothing definite,” Stevens said. “But I don’t want to quit that way. Right now I’m just very grateful for all the prayers and good wishes of so many people.”

Spend enough time around these guys, and it becomes doubtful if they ever want to quit at all. Sure, the money can be good, if they’re lucky, and from time to time the job has the intoxicating air of show biz. Then things go wrong, and it can smell like a hospital corridor, like last Tuesday for Tyler Baze.

“I thought I was looking pretty good,” Baze said of his pre-surgery damage. “The swelling was totally out. But they said if I left it alone my eye could sink back in my head, and then I’d really look weird. So they put a mesh plate in under my eye to hold the eye socket in, then some kind of stints in my nose to straighten it out so I could breathe better. Those come out next week.”

Baze was back home near Santa Anita, where he will wait out his recovery under the supervision of his wife, Christina. He hopes to be back for the Oak Tree meet in the fall.

“I couldn’t ask for anyone better than her,” Baze said. “I know right now I’m not the easiest person to get along with. And I think I’ve seen everything in Blockbuster.

“It was a small thing,“ Baze added, “but it could have been real serious because it we’re talking about the head. No doubt, I got very lucky.”  Jay Hovdey/Daily Racing Form

ARLINGTON PARK JOCKEYS TO APPEAR AT PARTNERS FOR PROGRESS EVENT

 By partnering client, horse, volunteer and community, Partners for Progress offers riding opportunities that challenge disabled individuals to achieve their maximum potential which rewards their efforts in growing physically, mentally and socially.

 Arlington Park jockeys will spend the day with the kids in the program.  They will spend time with the kids and also participate in the program by helping the kids ride the horses.  Horses have helped the program participants grow emotionally, physically, and socially and the chance to engage with professional jockeys will be a great treat and aid in their progress. The jockeys will be dressed in racing silks and will bring goggles, water bottles, and jockey helmets for the participants. 

In addition, during the month of August jockeys, racing staff and Arlington Park employees will be encouraged to donate products on Partners For Progress’ wish list which include needed office and horse supplies. Arlington Park Communications Department 

FIVE RETIRED JOCKEYS TO RETURN FOR ONE RACE

 Slated to take a one-day break from retirement are Hall-of-Fame jockeys Earlie Fires and Gary Stevens; two-time Arlington Park champion Mark Guidry; Patti Cooksey, who participated in the Female Legends race earlier this year; and 1977 Triple Crown-winning jockey Jean Cruguet.

In addition to regular win, place, show, exacta, trifecta and superfecta betting available on the race, Arlington Park will offer a wager pitting the “young guns” vs. “cagey veterans” in a Head-to-Head format based on a point structure.

 To keep the sex balance of the two teams equal, the top four male riders and the leading female rider in the Arlington Park standings at the conclusion of racing on Saturday, August 14 will represent the current jockey colony.  Riding assignments for the race will be pulled by lot when entries are drawn for the Friday card on Sunday, August 15.

 The top four riders in the Arlington standings are currently Junior Alvarado, Michael Baze, James Graham and Jesus Castanon, and the leading female jockey at the current meet is Inez Karlsson.

 The five former riders will be at Arlington as part of the day’s second annual “Dining With The Dynasty” fund raiser, a charity event that brings legendary jockeys from all over the country to raise funds to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America.

 In addition to “Dining With The Dynasty”, many of the riders will appear at Breakfast at Arlington from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on Friday, August 20 and will participate in a public autograph session from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Arlington Million Day, Saturday, August 21. Arlington Park Communications Department

PDJF's Nancy Lasala to Receive Award

Martin Garcia Named Jockey of the Week

Zenyatta has Smith on one sweet ride

Alot of them want to tell me how good she is,” Smith said. “They’ll write, ‘Can I please have a picture?’ I always send a picture. I pay for it. I don’t mind.”

When Smith is recognized in an airport, or about town, he often fields questions about Zenyatta.

“It’s all anyone asks,” Smith said. “Racing people and people that I meet, they want to know, what’s it like?”

What’s it like to be the regular rider of the winner of 17 consecutive races, a two-time champion, and a charismatic mare with a come-from-behind style, who seems to play to the crowd in the paddock and post parade?

The moments before and after races, when Zenyatta is just a few feet from the crowds and the subject of such adulation, are not lost on Smith, who turns 45 on Aug. 10.

The three major Southern California tracks have paddocks and walking rings that afford a close-up view of horses on their way to the racetrack. It’s the ultimate photo op for fans seeking to get closer to horses and riders. Smith said he feels the buzz before Zenyatta’s races, hearing the fans and seeing the homemade signs at Del Mar, Hollywood Park, or Santa Anita.

“I try to take a little time for it,” he said. “It’s magical. You can’t help but do it. It’s nice for the people that are looking at her and clapping for her. It’s a great feeling.”

That’s the prologue. This year, after her victories, Smith has taken to riding Zenyatta back in front of the grandstand and a furlong or so up the stretch so that the crowds can see her one more time before she is taken into the winner’s circle. Taking the long way to the winner’s circle was the idea of trainer John Shirreffs, and one the jockey quickly embraced.

The crowd reaction is always the same: Cheers as loud as the races themselves. “It’s an out-of-body experience,” Smith said. “When we do it, she’s still prancing and dancing.”

The experience will end sooner than Smith would prefer. Zenyatta is scheduled to start in Saturday’s $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar and is likely to have only two more starts before retirement. The main goal is a defense of her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Classic will be at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6 and is expected to be her last start. A stakes at Belmont Park or Santa Anita is tentatively scheduled for early October. It is possible that Saturday’s race will be Zenyatta’s last in Southern California, where she is most adored.

Her win in the 2009 BC Classic at Santa Anita remains the defining performance of a perfect career. That, too, was supposed to be her last start before owners Jerry and Ann Moss reversed course in January and decided to campaign her for one more season in 2010.

Her season has been a victory tour of sorts and one that has only enhanced her reputation with wins at Santa Anita (Santa Margarita Handicap), Oaklawn Park (Apple Blossom Invitational), and Hollywood Park (Vanity Handicap). Smith was all smiles when Zenyatta was given retirement ceremonies at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita last fall. That may not be the case this winter.

“I don’t like to talk of it,” he said. “I can’t talk about it, not getting on her back and being able to see her. Can you imagine how it will be with her not in that stall. John looking down the shed row and her not there. I can’t imagine Mario” – groom Mario Espinoza – “coming to work and she not being there. What amazing things she’s brought to our lives.”

Smith has ridden Zenyatta in 14 of her races and all but one of her stakes. David Flores rode Zenyatta in her first three starts, but Smith took over for the 2008 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, a day Flores rode favored El Gato Malo to a fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby.

Zenyatta has defined the last few years of Smith’s career, similar to the way that Holy Bull, Lure, and Skip Away were his top mounts of the 1990s and 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri and 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo were integral parts of his career in the last decade.

“I’d like to retire with her, but I feel too good,” Smith said. “If I had something I wanted to start, maybe I would consider it. I have too much left. I feel better now. I feel great.”

Smith broke two vertebrae in a spill at Saratoga in 1998, an injury that led to lingering discomfort for years. Today, he says he is careful about what he eats and exercises frequently, seeking the advice of two personal trainers.

“I’m real health-conscious as far as my eating habits and the way I manage my weight,” he said. “My back feels amazing now. It doesn’t bother me. I do strength training, cardio, and running. I’m still hiking a lot. I’m lifting more than I could ever left. I run two or three miles. I used to really overtrain.”

The approach allows him to tack 118 pounds easily, he said.

So Zenyatta may be retired this year, but the jockey will not.

“I’ve done well and I made a lot of money,” he said. “What else will I do what I love and have the same passion?  What a life." Steve Anderson/Daily Racing Form