Jockeys’ Guild assumes Lopez, Remington -Problems

As an organization, the Jockeys tries to keep his guild cool. They prefer to give the headlines to the other boys and stick to what is really important for their membership.

For decades, the guild has been in the front and calls for more closer controlled medication rules, and now we are here. They are in a persistent, reasonable battle with racing tracks about the safety of the surface and decent facilities. More recently, the issues of concussion and mental health have occupied much of their mandate.

In the past week, the Jockeys’ Guild did not grab the news once, but twice with reactions to controversial events that go the core of the concern of membership. The message was clear as a Crystal.

On September 23, the guild revealed that 10 jockeys had driven races Remington Park 4 and 5 September in Defiance of their colleague riders who refused to drive over a compensation conflict were emitted or suspended. Among the programs lost by those 10 riders will be a handicap benefits and a life insurance policy that are supplied by the guild.

Two days later, the guild responded strongly to the news that Paco Lopez, a member with a good reputation, was suspended for six months by the horse racing in integrity and security authority for violating the conditions of an agreement at the end of last year. That agreement caused by an incident on Racing In which Lopez struck his mountain after he had taken out of a winning race, the lace -up rider therapy sessions required attempts and contributes to a few racing organizations. He was cleared to drive at the end of January.

The justification of HISA for the new suspension of six months is cloudy. There seems to be a connection with the use of Lopez through the driving harvest on board Book’em damage When winning the Stakes (G1) Saratoga Race Course In August. Lopez is guilty of starting his hand above his head before he puts his horse – a violation of hisa rules – but there is no clear correlation with his behavior in the Parx incident, which was clearly an example of a frustrated jockey who lost his cool and pulled out on his mountain.

To further confuse things, the six-month penalty after the fine of $ 1,000 and three-day suspension that was levied by New York Racing Association Stewards for the book’em Danno Ride, in accordance with what HISA guidelines seems to be. Lopez accepted the punishment without protest.

“It makes no sense,” said Terry Meyocks, President and CEO of the Guild. “What happened between the three days that Lopez received from the New York Stewards and the six -month suspension three weeks later? If other things were considered, we should have heard about it. What we know for sure is that PETA takes the honor.”

Oh, come on. Real? It sounded like Meyocks reached for a handy scapegoat. It is no secret that people do not mind seeing circuits on the ground for the ethical treatment of animals and all the thoroughbreds released in the wild. But they cannot be accused of anything.

“Look at their website,” said Meyocks.

So I held my nose and tapped those four small letters. Up was posted an item on August 26, in which a paragraph began: “In an urgent letter to Hisa, Peta noted that Lopez Book’em Danno with such a strength heat …” – And here I can be deleted for images of bleeding screens or a reaction from the stick that sent the horse over the track – “… that we received multiple horror experience.”

Multiple whistleblower calls and e -mails. That is what racing gets to broadcast some of his best races on a National TV network. But if HISA bases his penalties on the volume of PETA’s anti-racing shock troops that have been used and ready on their social media accounts, then the sport is really doomed.

By protesting against the Lopez ban, the guild is worried that similar fate could happen to other riders who dispel elements in the HISA hierarchy that defines PETA as an existential threat, rather than a group of well-monitored gadflies who fluttering of the direction of the wind.

Lopez earns his days when he certainly violates the rules, certainly. And please do not tell me that he cannot change his powerful style of lashes. I don’t care if the new, muted driving crops do not leave a stamp. It looks terrible, striking with what looks like an intention to harm. Part of the deal of retaining driving under Hisa was the softening of the dirty perception of animals that are affected when gambling gambling efforts.

It never hurts that there is each other together during the 2021 at 2021 Monmouth ParkAt a time when the New Jersey Racing Commission forbade the use of moving crops to “encourage” horses, Lopez 109 races won his closest competitor almost twice. Lopez, clearly a good talent, never looked better or showed more accomplished Horsemanship.

Regarding the Remington issue, the 10 punished riders come to cross an imaginary picket line from all the walks of jockey life. Many were imported in state lines to fill in for the riders who protested. Apprentice Adrian X. Morales achieved four victories on those two fatal days. Apprentice Lindsey Hebert drove exactly once. Tanner Fincher rode a horse for his father, Todd Fincher van Lord search engine Fame, and won a race for Scott Young. Alex Gonzalez, a 17-year-old veteran, took a break from his Fairmount Park Action to ride 13 races on those two days at Remington, and adds two wins to his career -to total of 558 that enter.

The disagreement about jockey costs was arranged in short order and Remington returned to his regular programming (other than the power failure that canceled the racing of 26 September). Meyocks was asked what was determined whether those 10 cited riders would be expelled from the guild or would be suspended alone.

“We had spoken with all riders and explained the consequences of not arranging the dispute about reimbursements,” said Meyocks. “It had been going on for a long time. The costs of Hisa were put off at the riders. They were robbed of wallet payments of bonuses bred by the state. We made sure that everyone knew all the problems.”

Because the guild does not have the same status as a union, Jockeys cannot literally strike. Jockeys must act individually in refusing to drive, whether it looks like this or not. Although the names of all 10 riders who rode protest in the light were published wide, Meyocks refused to reveal which were deported and which suspended.

“The Guild Board went through the case,” said Meyocks. “Suspensions will vary, depending on certain circumstances. Their level of experience was taken into consideration where they might be heard, what pressure they might have been from horsemen.”

Meyocks added that there is no professional process of the actions of the guild against the 10 riders. Of course someone can always go to court.

“However, I wouldn’t think they would do that,” said Meyocks. “They knew the consequences.”