JC / Railbird

Jockeys’ Insurance Archive

Jumping at the Chance

“Rodney Trader has ridden races for 20 of his 36 years. But when he came to Kentucky this spring, it was as an exercise rider — someone who gets horses ready in the morning for someone else to ride in the afternoon.
“Yet horse racing is a game based on twists and unexpected turns. And last week, with Churchill embroiled in a controversy over accident insurance for jockeys, Trader began doing something he’d never experienced before: He rode in races under the shadow of the fabled Twin Spires.
“Trader can be called a replacement rider. And he sounds mystified that 14 jockeys would have refused to ride, especially given purses so lucrative a jockey can make as much on losing mounts as an exercise rider makes.” (Courier-Journal)
Related: “The inherent danger of an occupation does not mitigate the fact that jockeys are independent contractors without allegiance or contractual obligation. Life does not come with all expenses paid and this is the life they have chosen,” writes Paul Moran (Newsday); Matt Graves says, “Insurance for jockeys needs boost” (Times Union); and “Jockeys differ on walkout strategy” (Indy Star).

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on November 18, 2004

More and More Evident

Frustrated and anxious over the issue of adequate insurance coverage, “Many jockeys are now venting their anger toward racetrack officials or the TRA,” writes Ray Paulick. But their ire may be misdirected: “It’s becoming more and more evident to me that the leadership of the Jockeys’ Guild may have hung the organization’s own members out to dry.” (Blood-Horse)
Related: “Questions about Guild cash” (Daily Racing Form)

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on November 17, 2004

Dispute Developments

The 32-member NTRA panel on jockey insurance has been named. (Thoroughbred Times)
Also: “Eddie King, a rider based in New Jersey, said on Monday that he was removed as treasurer of the Jockeys’ Guild and expelled from the organization on Nov. 7 after he persisted in asking questions about the Guild’s finances.” The Guild management, which allowed a $1 million catastrophic insurance policy purchased for jockeys to lapse in 2002, faces scrutiny and calls for audits from several quarters as the issue of jockey insurance roils on. (Daily Racing Form)
Related: The insurance dispute is a “black eye” for the sport. (Pasadena Star-News)

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on November 16, 2004