Jockey Safety
 

I give great kudos to Steve and The Mig and Tony Black for addressing this problem that's been going on for quite awhile, especially in NY. We all hear the drug talk and all, but this is something that potentially can damage horse racing beyond the imagination. There are rules to how you ride a horse in a race and they are clearly not being enforced and violations are not being punished to reflect the gravity of the offenses.

A horrible outcome is inevitable and it is all preventable. I don't want to read stories of how things are going to be better after things went all very wrong.

The conversations with Mig (focused on stewarding and correcting dangerous activity) and Tony (in-race path keeping, how jocks anticipate what's about to happen) were very well-received. Recognize that there's only so much the stewards can do to minimize potential incidents. It's fanciful to say that falls from heel-clipping is preventable.. they aren't. But it's also pretty clear that in most jurisdictions they aren't doing enough to diminish the chance that it's generate by careless riders.

Agreed, Steve as the Mig said "It's a dangerous job". But I do think public awareness and scrutiny will have an effect. Not only on stewards but jockeys. It's good to get these things into the light and into our discussion. It can only help.

We have to protect all in horse racing. Horses and jockeys.