The Jockeys’ Guild and the Colorado Horse Racing Association have reached an agreement on a new mount fee schedule that will provide an increase in base mount fees for jockeys for all races run in Colorado. The new scale is to go into effect May 27, opening day of Arapahoe Park.
The new mount fee schedule calls for a minimum mount fee of $50 ranging up to $110 depending on the purse of the race. Previously mount fees in Colorado were scaled from $40 to $105.
“I would like to thank Mark McGregor (president of CHA), Shannon Rushton (executive director of CHA), Bruce Seymour (chief operating officer of Arapahoe Park), as well as Dan Hartman (former executive director of Colorado Racing Commission) for working together to reach this agreement.” said John Beech, regional manager for the Jockeys’ Guild, in a statement. “I would also like to thank the jockeys in Colorado for their support throughout the negotiations.”
This new scale follows increases in mount fees through legislation at California tracks and negotiated increases at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Finger Lakes, Monmouth, Meadowlands, Atlantic City, Hawthorne, Arlington Park, Fairmount Park, Gulfstream Park, Calder, Tampa Bay Downs, Tropical Park, Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, Emerald Downs, Turf Paradise, Yavapai Downs, Indiana Downs, Hoosier Park, Delaware Park, Charles Town, Mountaineer, Prairie Meadows, Oaklawn, Fair Meadows at Tulsa, Remington Park, Will Rogers Downs, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs, Turfway Park, Ellis Park, Sunland Park, SunRay Park, Zia Park, The Downs at Albuquerque and Ruidoso Downs. Jockeys at Philadelphia Park, Penn National, and Presque Isle have also received raises in their losing mount fees. Negotiations are ongoing in other racing jurisdictions.
