Report: Aqueduct clerk resigns from post in wake of dispute

The New York Racing Association clerk at the center of Sunday's dispute between NYRA and Aqueduct jockeys has resigned that position.

Daily Racing Form reported that Brian Pochman, assistant clerk of scales, resigned that position but will remain a clocker for NYRA.

Aqueduct jockeys refused to ride after Sunday's first race in protest of changes in the duties of the clerk of scales and assistant clerk of scales. Pochman was sent home after expressing concern about the weighing-in process. NYRA wanted him to write jockey weights in a program in addition to recording them electronically on a scale, DRF reported. Pochman was concerned that the protocols could result in additional mistakes, according to the report.

The dispute with the riders was settled after a meeting Monday between members of the Jockeys' Guild and NYRA representatives, and racing at Aqueduct resumed Thursday as scheduled.

Other NYRA officials were assigned Pochman's duties as assistant clerk of scales, a NYRA spokesman told DRF. After Thursday’s first race, clerk of scales Rosemary Pasquarello read the weights aloud and safety steward Juan Dominguez wrote them down, according to the report.

NYRA also plans to add surveillance cameras at its facilities to record the weigh-in and weight-out process, according to the report.

Terry Meyocks, president of the Jockeys' Guild, told DRF his organization agreed to the new protocols.