No Charges Filed After Fracas at Guild Office

Soon after the Jockeys' Guild senate elected a new board that voted to terminate the management contract of Matrix Capital Associations Nov. 15, a few Guild members and employees were involved in an altercation with deposed management representatives at the Guild office in Monrovia, Calif.

Several individuals who were either present or heard reports from other jockeys wouldn't comment to The Blood-Horse on the record, though they detailed the events. Liz Mullen, a bureau chief for Sports Business Journal who has covered Guild business, was on hand for part of the fracas.

Attorneys for the Guild and former president chief executive officer Dr. Wayne Gertmenian were negotiating to gain control of the office the afternoon of Nov. 15 when Gertmenian and Guild vice president Albert Fiss arrived. According to Sports Business Journal and others with first-hand knowledge of the situation, Gertmenian pushed Darrell Haire, who has taken over as manager of the Guild on a temporary basis.

Though the status of Fiss wasn't clear after the senate meeting, Haire confirmed he no longer works for the Guild.

"Dr. G. came in and started yelling, 'Get out! Get out!' " Haire told the sports industry magazine. "Dr. G. pushed me. Albert was manhandling a lot of people, pushing all of us out the door."

Members of the Monrovia Police Department were summoned. Sgt. Glen Coleman told Sports Business Journal statements were taken but no one wanted to press charges.

Attorneys were trying to determine who controls the Guild office. (The landlord of the building told police Gertmenian should have control of the office space.) They also want to ensure records and documents are retrieved.

According to reports, the incident stalled forensic audits being conducted by the California Department of Finance and the California Horse Racing Board. The CHRB earlier this year ordered a close look at Guild finances given the fact the organization gets money from the state to pay health insurance premiums.