Sacramento, CA – Tonight, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma’s (D-San Francisco) Justice for Jockeys legislation received bipartisan support and was approved on the Assembly floor with a vote of 45-16.  Assembly Bill 649, sponsored by the Jockeys’ Guild, increases the minimum riding fee for horse races to ensure that jockeys earn a fair wage.  The minimum jockey riding fee, also known as a mount fee, is essentially a minimum wage and is set by the California Horse Racing Board.  The board has increased the minimum riding once in the last 19 years, which only amounted to a 5% raise.  Last year, the Legislature raised the minimum wage from $6.75 to $8.00 over a two year period, which amounts to an 18 percent increase.

“Despite their demanding work, jockeys get the short end of the stick,” Assemblywoman Ma said.  “Jockeys are working under standards that baseball players worked under a hundred years ago.”

Jockeys are some of the world’s best athletes riding horses over 1,000 pounds, while having to maintain their own weight below 125 pounds.  Horse racing is the only sport where an ambulance follows the athletes during the event. Often, Jockeys have to perform this work with very little compensation. In fact, about 75% of jockeys earn less than $40,000 per year.  

“AB 649 is proof that the little guy can win in the California Legislature,” Assemblywoman Ma said. “I appreciate that horse owners worked with us in this important effort to reward our state’s dedicated jockeys.”

The last increase that jockeys’ received occurred in 2001. Currently, the minimum riding fee ranges between $33 and $105 for a race depending on the size of the purse.  The minimum riding fee for the average race is around $50.  Jockeys can earn additional money depending on whether the horse places in first, second, or third.  

The Governor has until October 14 to take action on the bill.