It's 10 Strikes and You're Out at Breeders' Cup

At the World Series it's just three, but at the Breeders' Cup it will be 10 strikes and you're out.

This weekend's event marks the first edition of the World Championships contested under the auspices of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority and its regulations, which include limits on the number of times a jockey can strike their mount with a riding crop.

HISA rules, which have been in effect since early July across the country, allow a jockey to use the crop for encouragement six times, with penalties for seven or more, unless the excessive number was found by the stewards to be for a safety reason.

For 7 through 9 strikes, jockeys face a one-day suspension plus a fine of either $250 or 10% of their share of the purse, whichever is greater. 

But if it happens more than nine times, then the penalty becomes significantly more costly and wide-spread. While the infraction will not alter the pari-mutuel payoffs, 10 or more strikes could lead to a horse losing its total share of the purse money distributed to the owner, jockey, and trainer.

"It's difficult to change a culture if only one group is suffering negative consequences," HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said about the penalties impacting owners.

As an example of the penalty, in September, Peacock Family Holdings lost $108,000 in purse money from Sheriff Brown 's victory in the Sept. 24 $200,000 Downs At Albuquerque Handicap due to a violation by jockey Oscar Ceballos, who struck the gelding 11 times.

Given the far more lucrative purses at stake at Keeneland Nov. 4-5 in the Breeders' Cup, the consequences for reaching 10 strikes promise to be far more costly and controversial.

"Listen, if I were an owner, I understand the issues. But we hope that owners will pick jockeys that are good about abiding by the crop rules or tell their trainers to tell their jockeys they don't want them to exceed the number of strikes," Lazarus said. "It's not lost on me that we have a very big race coming up, and it's important that all of those involved have thought through the potential consequences. I've been assured by the Breeders' Cup folks, etc., that they support the rules, they support HISA, and the rules will be enforced with the recognition that if there is a violation in the (Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, G1) or whatever, the consequences will be severe. This is not day one of the rule—it's been in place for four months—so I don't think we're going to have any issues."

For the athletes who are actually aboard the horses and have to make split-second decisions in situations that could be life-or-death, a general consensus is that the rules can be problematic, but the penalties are necessary to avoid wanton violations.

"It's a difficult task counting (strikes) at any number, but everyone has to be on the same page and you do your best," said Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, co-chairman of the Jockeys' Guild and a member of the HISA Racetrack Safety Standing Committee. "It's tough to manage that. You really have to pay attention and count. If you don't count you know you're going to get in trouble. It's been a big adjustment, but most of the jockeys at the Breeders' Cup are top jockeys and hopefully no one will make a mistake."

Jockey Flavien Prat, who will be riding 3-5 favorite Flightline  in the Breeders' Cup's richest race, the $6 million Longines Classic, said keeping track of strikes while in the heat of competition is not a simple task but believes stiff penalties are needed as a deterrent.

"It makes everyone even. You have to respect the rule and the penalty makes you respect it. Like it or not, that's the way it is," Prat said. "In one situation, if there's just a suspension, some people might break the rule. The penalty makes everyone respect it. Imagine how you would feel if you respect the rule, the other rider doesn't and you get beat by a nose. You will be pretty mad."

To date about 6% of the riding crop violations have involved the loss of purse money.

Terry Meyocks, the CEO of the Jockeys' Guild, said communication between the Jockeys' Guild and HISA has been improving, which he pointed to as the key to establishing a strong working relationship.

"It's important to keep the dialogue. Lisa Lazarus made a comment that they are willing to fix what needs to be fixed and that's important. Communication and dialogue are important and we want to do what's best for our industry," Meyocks said. "You need to understand everyone's concern. That's an important part of growing everything. I think we're getting there with communication, with Marc Guilfoil  there now (as director of stewarding and state racing commission relations) and also Pete Hester (medical director for jockey safety) who we have worked with over the years and developed a good rapport with. That will only help things."

In describing the relationship between HISA and the Jockeys' Guild, Velazquez said, "There are some things that are working well and others we are learning about as we go."

- Additional reporting by Byron King