Jockey Suspended for 10 Years for Attempted Bribe

A 24-year-old jockey has received a 10-year suspension after admitting he tried to bribe another jockey $1,000 to lose a race at Golden Gate Fields.

The ruling against Doug Schrick was issued by the board of stewards Thursday, following a lengthy investigation. The other jockey and the date in question were not identified, but the board said the incident occurred about a month ago.

Schrick’s whereabouts are not known. The stewards said further charges could be filed, since it is both a state and federal crime to attempt to affect the outcome of a sporting event.

“Schrick admitted to us that he offered another jockey a bribe and claimed that he was a go-between for another party,” steward Leon Lewis said.

“He was contacted by the other party to bribe the jockey to lose. The idea was the other party would claim the horse that day, step him up off the bad race to try and win a bet.”

Steward Charles Dougherty said Schrick telephone the jockeys’ room and was twice turned down by the other rider, then was rejected when he went there in person.

Schrick launched his riding career in the Pacific Northwest, winning his first race at Yakima Meadows in October 1981. He was the fifth-leading jockey at Longacres with 65 winners in 1984 and has ridden in Northern California off and on since then.