Jockeys and Jeans Raises $205K for PDJF

[Wandering Eyes]

The sixth-annual Jockeys and Jeans Fundraiser, held this year at Santa Anita June 22, raised over $205,000 for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. The event featured a speech from Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who received the first Jockeys and Jeans Person of the Year Award. Fifteen Hall of Fame riders signed autographs during a morning session at Santa Anita and a dozen later mingled with the crowd and honored guests, including severely injured former riders. Former trainer Leah Whitesell was given the first Uphill Push Award for her work raising funds to purchase and then drive a wheelchair accessible van 1,100 to long-time paraplegic former jockey Vincent Amico. Hall of Famer Chris McCarron was also a featured speaker. The Stronach Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Aidan Butler, and its COO, Tim Ritvo, attended the event. The latter took the podium to discuss his own riding career and the need to support the PDJF.

“The bottom line is this, Jockeys and Jeans will be doing another event at one of The Stronach Group’s tracks in the future,” said the group’s president, Barry Pearl. “So many there worked hard to make the event a success and it’s obvious they genuinely care about catastrophically injured jockeys.”

Jack Fires, 63, who has been a paraplegic since a racing accident at River Downs when he was 21, was attending his third Jockeys and Jeans event.

“I know all of us [injured riders] feel good about being recognized,” said the PDJF Board Member. “A lot of us can’t make it to the track anymore and this is a way to be involved in something that at one time was a big part of our lives. And I think it’s a way for the Hall of Fame jockeys and everyone else to get familiar with the folks they are helping. All of us enjoyed being there.”

Since it was founded in 2014 by a group of former jockeys, Jockey and Jeans has raised more than $1.2 million for the PDJF. For more information, contact Eddie Donnally at (818) 653-3711 or visit www.jockeysandjeans.com.

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