Jockeys' Guild reaches agreement on Oklahoma mount fees

The Jockeys' Guild reached a three-year agreement on mount fees for Oklahoma riders and, if it's approved by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, will end the embargo on riding at Remington Park.

In a news release, the Guild said the agreement calls for a minimum losing mount fee of $100 and a fourth-place incentive. Also, all jockeys will pay the per-mount fee to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

The agreement for jockeys to pay the HISA fee came after "extensive conversation" with the Remington Park Thoroughbred jockey colony and the Jockeys’ Guild board of directors, including co-chairman John Velazquez.

"It should be noted that Oklahoma is the only state in which jockeys are required to pay the HISA fees," the Guild said in the release. "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, to our knowledge, in all other racing jurisdictions, these fees are paid by the state, racing commissions, race tracks and-or money taken out of the purse accounts, which affects jockeys as well."

The Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma had offered to pay $90 to losing jockeys, and the Guild sought $110. Before this agreement, the minimum was $75.

"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 Guild said in the relase. "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."

After Guild members refused Remington Park, substitute riders were named for races Thursday and Friday, with reduced field sized after many scratches. The Guild said its members will resume riding at Remington Park as early as Saturday.