Agent: Controversial N.Y. rule for married jockeys may be costly
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Maryland Jockey Club
Jockey Trevor McCarthy’s agent said the recent revelation that McCarthy and his wife, jockey Katie Davis, will have their same-race entries coupled for bets in New York because they are married has the potential to hurt his client’s business.
Scott Silver, who continued his role as McCarthy’s agent when the jockeys moved from Maryland to New York last year, said he had not seen any negative impact so far. But he would not be surprised if it came in the future. “It can't help our business, I’ll put it that way,” Silver said. “It's not going to help the situation.” The rule says that if a couple is married, they cannot be considered competitors in the same race for wagering purposes. Silver was quick to call for the situation to be remedied by the New York State Gaming Commission, which is responsible for the rule.
“It’s just a problem that doesn’t need to be had,” Silver said. “I think they’re going about it the wrong way. I think everybody feels the same way about it.”
The rule, which the New York Racing Association said it has made several attempts to remove from the book, ostensibly is meant to keep married couples from colluding to fix races. According to Silver, this is not at play between McCarthy and Davis.
“Anybody who knows Trevor and Katie, they’re very competitive,” Silver said. “I don’t think you’d ever have a question or problem about their efforts.”
Davis said in a Blood-Horse report that the owners and trainers she rides for indicated that the coupling would not be an issue, but they were concerned about McCarthy’s business. She also said that the Jockeys’ Guild would back them in their attempt to get the rule changed.
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, co-chairman of the Guild with John Velázquez, said he did not previously have any knowledge of the rule but that a change sounded like something the Guild would support.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Smith said. “It doesn’t benefit either one of them. What do they care? It doesn’t matter if you’re married or best friends or not friends.”
Both Silver and Smith pointed out the inconsistencies with the rule, which allows siblings and other family connections to ride together without coupling as long as they do not live in the same household. Brothers Jose and Irad Ortiz regularly ride in New York and are not required to have their entries coupled. Davis’s brother Dylan also rides in the state without coupled entries. Katie Davis has been active on social media advocating for a rule change, including retweeting a post that points out she will be unable to even work on the backside if she cannot ride because of COVID restrictions that keep jockeys and backside workers separate. “To have that competition between the both of us and wanting to beat each other makes the sport more exciting for us,” Davis said in a post.
According to Smith, coupling should be reserved for very limited situations, such as when horses sharing both an owner and a trainer are entered in the same race.
“It shouldn’t be any different than just two people riding together,” Smith said. “They’re in a race. One’s got a job to do, and so does the other.”
Although Smith expressed his displeasure over the rule, he was unsure whether the Guild would be able to help.
“If that has to do with the gaming, there’s not a whole lot we can do,” Smith said, “other than express our concerns about it.”
The New York State Gaming Commission did not immediately respond a request for comment.
Davis and McCarthy are entered to ride in the same race once on Thursday and twice more Friday at Aqueduct.
Scott Silver, who continued his role as McCarthy’s agent when the jockeys moved from Maryland to New York last year, said he had not seen any negative impact so far. But he would not be surprised if it came in the future. “It can't help our business, I’ll put it that way,” Silver said. “It's not going to help the situation.” The rule says that if a couple is married, they cannot be considered competitors in the same race for wagering purposes. Silver was quick to call for the situation to be remedied by the New York State Gaming Commission, which is responsible for the rule.
“It’s just a problem that doesn’t need to be had,” Silver said. “I think they’re going about it the wrong way. I think everybody feels the same way about it.”
The rule, which the New York Racing Association said it has made several attempts to remove from the book, ostensibly is meant to keep married couples from colluding to fix races. According to Silver, this is not at play between McCarthy and Davis.
“Anybody who knows Trevor and Katie, they’re very competitive,” Silver said. “I don’t think you’d ever have a question or problem about their efforts.”
Davis said in a Blood-Horse report that the owners and trainers she rides for indicated that the coupling would not be an issue, but they were concerned about McCarthy’s business. She also said that the Jockeys’ Guild would back them in their attempt to get the rule changed.
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, co-chairman of the Guild with John Velázquez, said he did not previously have any knowledge of the rule but that a change sounded like something the Guild would support.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Smith said. “It doesn’t benefit either one of them. What do they care? It doesn’t matter if you’re married or best friends or not friends.”
Both Silver and Smith pointed out the inconsistencies with the rule, which allows siblings and other family connections to ride together without coupling as long as they do not live in the same household. Brothers Jose and Irad Ortiz regularly ride in New York and are not required to have their entries coupled. Davis’s brother Dylan also rides in the state without coupled entries. Katie Davis has been active on social media advocating for a rule change, including retweeting a post that points out she will be unable to even work on the backside if she cannot ride because of COVID restrictions that keep jockeys and backside workers separate. “To have that competition between the both of us and wanting to beat each other makes the sport more exciting for us,” Davis said in a post.
According to Smith, coupling should be reserved for very limited situations, such as when horses sharing both an owner and a trainer are entered in the same race.
“It shouldn’t be any different than just two people riding together,” Smith said. “They’re in a race. One’s got a job to do, and so does the other.”
Although Smith expressed his displeasure over the rule, he was unsure whether the Guild would be able to help.
“If that has to do with the gaming, there’s not a whole lot we can do,” Smith said, “other than express our concerns about it.”
The New York State Gaming Commission did not immediately respond a request for comment.
Davis and McCarthy are entered to ride in the same race once on Thursday and twice more Friday at Aqueduct.
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