Hoosier Park Jockeys Refuse to Ride

Jockeys’ unrest over insurance costs took on a new dimension at Churchill Downs-owned Hoosier Park on Friday night, when 14 riders refused to ride and forced the track in Anderson, Ind., to cancel its 12-race card.

With at least 14 jockeys available, Hoosier Park resumed racing Saturday night with 13 races, including a $100,000 stake.

Rick Moore, president of Hoosier Park, was told by the jockeys Friday night that they weren’t riding because of concerns about the track’s inner safety rail. But Moore and Churchill Downs officials believe that the walkout was related to the ongoing squabble over insurance costs, which resulted in Churchill excluding 15 riders last week when they declined to ride.

“We believe the presence of Albert Fiss and Darrell Haire [of the Jockeys’ Guild] in our jockeys’ quarters [Friday night] points to the real reason that jockeys elected not to ride,” Moore said. “The guild has publicly supported the actions of Kentucky-based jockeys who refused to accept mounts ... at Churchill Downs.... Based on Friday’s events, we have reason to believe that jockeys were encouraged by guild representatives and refused to ride at the direction of the guild.”

Fiss, a guild vice president, and 10 of the jockeys were escorted from Hoosier Park by local police. Haire, a former jockey who is one of the union’s national representatives, left without a police escort, according to a statement by Churchill Downs Inc. Haire could not be reached for comment. Fiss has not responded to two telephone messages from The Times in recent days.

Jeff Johnson, one of the jockeys who was scheduled to ride in the $100,000 race, is also a rider who has been banned by Churchill. Mr. Mink, Johnson’s mount, was scratched. Churchill, in excluding riders, said that it would not prohibit them from riding at its sister tracks, which include Hollywood Park, as long as the riders, on a case-by-case basis, assure track management that they will not be a disruptive influence.

A total of 63 horses ran in the first seven races at Hoosier Park on Saturday. Only five horses were scratched.

It was unclear how long the Hoosier Park ejection notices will be in effect. The season ends a week from today. Among the jockeys excluded was Rodney Prescott, who has won 235 races this year and ranks second at the Hoosier meet.

The Breeders’ Cup, run at Lone Star Park near Dallas on Oct. 30, added special supplementary insurance for jockeys. Year-round, however, jockeys ride with only $100,000 in accident coverage, which is supplied by the nation’s tracks at a cost of about $1,000 per track per racing day.

The Jockeys’ Guild says that it can no longer afford to insure the 1,200 riders it represents. The guild’s policy lapsed in 2002. Riders at small tracks such as Hoosier Park say that they cannot afford individual coverage, which can run as high as $10,000 a year.

Hoosier Park officials said that they were notified that the jockeys wouldn’t ride shortly before Friday night’s first race, after the horses had entered the paddock for saddling. Ten of the riders refused to vacate the jockeys’ quarters after the cancellation notice, the track said, and they didn’t leave the room, under escort, until after midnight, about six hours after the first race would have been run. There were no arrests and no charges were filed.

Joe Gorajec, executive director of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission, has vouched for the quality of the inner rail at Hoosier Park. The rail was approved by the commission when the track opened in 1995.

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Supah Blitz, the 2-5 favorite, made a successful return to Florida, winning the $200,000 Carl G. Rose Classic Handicap at Calder. The race was one of eight stakes for Florida-breds on the card.

Purchased privately earlier this year by trainer Doug O’Neill for a partnership, the 4-year-old Mecke colt won for the sixth time in 32 starts. In beating 22-1 shot Hear No Evil by a length, he completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.51. The victory was the second stakes win of the day for jockey Jerry Bailey, who also won the $150,000 Jack Price Juvenile with 2-5 favorite Flamenco.

The biggest surprise of the day was provided by Final Prophecy, who paid $116.40 in winning the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap.

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Classic Endeavor, who was claimed for $50,000 on Aug. 1, made it two wins in as many starts for his new connections with a wire-to-wire victory in the $109,900 Stuyvesant Handicap at Aqueduct.

At Churchill Downs, favored River Belle and jockey Kieren Fallon prevailed in a driving finish to win the $150,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes. Team Valor and Bill Heiligbrodt own the 3-year-old Lahib filly, who is trained by Todd Pletcher.

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Anziyan Royalty has lost eight of 10 at tracks not named Hollywood Park, but the 4-year-old is automatic in Inglewood.

Owned by breeder Nick Cafarchia and trained by Craig Dollase, Anziyan Royalty, the 5-2 second choice, beat Lava Man to win the $89,200 On Trust Handicap by a length and remain perfect in four starts at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by David Flores, the bay son of Anziyan ran the 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:27.30 for his sixth win in 14 races. Areyoutalkintome, the 5-2 favorite, finished a non-threatening fourth; defending champion Excess Summer was seventh after setting the pace.

Times staff writer Bob Mieszerski contributed to this report from Los Angeles. Christine reported from Louisville, Ky.