Jockeys' Guild President & CEO Terry Meyocks called for racetracks to adopt consistent health and safety standards after 15 jockeys tested positive at Del Mar, which led to canceled races this weekend. The horse racing industry needs "more consistency," Meyocks told THE DAILY. "Making sure that people -- not only jocks, but people working the jocks room -- are tested (regularly) and are having a negative test." Del Mar in a statement said the jockeys were tested by San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency staff "as requested by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club." Racing is expected to resume at the track on July 24. Del Mar officials ordered the testing of all the jockeys and jockeys’ room personnel after two riders, Flavien Prat and Victor Espinoza, tested positive. The entire Southern California jockey colony, as it is called in racing circles, is made up of about 25-30 riders who race at Del Mar and Santa Anita. The Del Mar cases are believed to be the largest outbreak affecting a group of jockeys in the U.S. "You could say half your colony was taken out," Meyocks said. Santa Anita, as previously reported, was able to create a coronavirus-free bubble by testing jockeys prior to the weekend's races and housing them at the track in trailers used by actors under a program approved by the L.A. County Health Department. Del Mar said all the jockeys testing positive were believed to be asymptomatic. "So far, so good," Meyocks said, adding, "So knock on wood."
NO AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE RULES: Horse racing, unlike other sports, has no central authority enforcing rules. Jockeys are independent contractors who work for multiple racehorse owners during their work day. As such, they cannot unionize. The Guild is a trade organization, not a union, and therefore has no authority to negotiate working conditions. However, tracks and other racing entities do consult with the Guild on such issues. Meyocks wants uniform standards, to include testing, social distancing and sanitizing work stations, including the jockeys room and the starting gate. "I am not picking on Del Mar," Meyocks said, "but there has to be minimum standards." He added the outbreak could have happened at other tracks and no one is sure how the virus infected the colony. "It is very unfortunate," Meyocks said. "This is a very contagious virus and we can't rest on our laurels."
