After lengthy negotiations, the Jockey's Guild and the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma have agreed to the terms of a three-year agreement on mount fees, which includes:
- Minimum losing-mount fee of $100, with a fourth-place incentive.
- All jockeys will pay the per-mount Horseracing Integrity and Racing Authority fee.
- The three-year agreement will expire Dec. 31, 2028.
The parties have further agreed to immediately begin the process of obtaining the necessary approval from the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission.
READ: Conflict in Oklahoma Over Jockeys' Minimum Mount Fees
After extensive conversation with the Remington Park Thoroughbred jockey colony, as well as the Jockeys' Guild board of directors including co-chairman John Velazquez, the determination was made for the jockeys to pay the HISA fee. It should be noted that Oklahoma is the only state in which jockeys are required to pay the HISA fees.
In general, state racing commissions may decide to pay the costs themselves, or pass those costs along to racetracks and covered persons including owners, trainers, and jockeys. And while the Federal Trade Commission provided the formula to be used in the event an agreement could not be reached, in other racing jurisdictions these fees are paid by the state, racing commissions, racetracks, and/or money taken out of the purse accounts, which affects jockeys as well.
Even though the Oklahoma Thoroughbred jockeys will still receive a lower losing mount fee than the Oklahoma Quarter Horse jockeys, the Remington Park Thoroughbred jockey colony came together as one voice and agreed to the losing mount fees scale presented by TRAO.
The united colony was concerned and sympathetic to how this standoff was impacting not only owners, but trainers, jockey agents, exercise riders, grooms, hot walkers, valets, starting gate personnel, and pony people, as well as Remington Park, with whom the Jockeys' Guild has an excellent relationship.
The Oklahoma Thoroughbred jockey colony truly appreciates the support they have received from the majority of owners, trainers, breeders, and others over this period of negotiations and they look forward to getting back to riding as early as Sept. 6.
The Jockeys' Guild is committed to the success of Thoroughbred racing in Oklahoma by working with and supporting all Oklahoma racetracks, including Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs, and Fair Meadows, as well as the horsemen and the Oklahoma Racing Commission.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
