JC / Railbird

Jockeys’ Insurance Archive

Rider Lives Insurance Turmoil

“Horses were Remi Gunn’s life, and they were almost her death.” A mid-race accident at Ellis Park in 2003 not only left Gunn paralyzed, but destitute. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on December 5, 2004

Churchill Demands Guild Account for Funds

“Churchill Downs Inc. yesterday asked the national Jockeys’ Guild to account for $1.25 million its racetracks have given the riders’ organization over the past three years. In a letter to L. Wayne Gertmenian, the guild’s president and chief executive since 2001, Churchill Downs racetrack President Steve Sexton requested that the guild’s response be certified by an independent accountant and received by Tuesday.” (Courier-Journal)

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on December 3, 2004

Jockeys’ Fund Likely to Dissolve

“The Disabled Jockeys’ Fund, which in 2003 provided more than $371,000 in financial assistance to permanently and temporarily injured riders, is set to dissolve at the end of the year, leaving questions of how the Jockeys’ Guild will fulfill one of its core missions to support disabled riders.” (Thoroughbred Times)
Related: Jockeys’ Guild president Dr. L. Wayne Gertmenian offers up a bizarre commentary on last month’s incident at Churchill Downs — or, as he dubs it, “Churchill Plantation” — in which jockey Shane Sellers was escorted off the grounds. “I was in a time warp. It was Macon, Georgia and Selma, Alabama thirty years ago. I had hoped the days of Master and Slave were over.” (Jockeys’ Guild)

Posted in Jockeys' Insurance on December 1, 2004