Washington, D.C. –Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations held a hearing on America’s horse racing industry. Race track operators testified on race track safety issues one day after the death of 16 year old apprentice jockey, Josh Radosevish. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), ranking member of the subcommittee, stated that Radosevish’s death was a reminder about the need to address safety and riders’ insurance concerns.

“Josh’s death reminds us that horse racing is a dangerous sport and we must do all we can to protect those involved in the sport,” Stupak said. “This hearing gives us the opportunity to continue to explore some of the terrible conditions under which jockeys and exercise riders ply their trade on America’s racetracks.  The testimony and questions today provides us with information necessary to craft a legislative solution to deal with the failure of the employers - tracks, trainers and owners - to provide their workers with the same on the job accident and disability insurance that many other Americans enjoy.”

Several track operators from states such as New York, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, California and West Virginia testified on their current regulations on track safety and workers’ compensation as well as any progress they are making toward improvement on the health and nutrition front faced by jockeys.

Stupak used California and West Virginia as examples of the best and worst case scenarios of how state laws improve or impede compensation conditions. The California horse racing board testified about their worker’s compensation program and the provision of off track health insurance in that state as well as efforts to minimize the dangers inherent in horse racing.  Additionally, California is also pioneering a study of the weight and nutrition problems faced by jockeys. 

“If all states had programs like California’s, we would not be here today,” Stupak said. “In fact the California tracks are losing horses to tracks in states like West Virginia that permit the tracks to operate without adequate on the job insurance.”

With pre-tax profits, after expenses amount to $414,000 per racing day at a Charles Town, West Virginia track, they spend a mere $1,200 in accidental insurance for jockeys. Tracks like Mountaineer in West Virginia where Gary Birzer, who testified before the subcommittee last month, was paralyzed consider the $100,000 insurance coverage as generous.  Mr. Birzer’s medical bills to date are over $800,000.

“We heard testimony today that going from $100,000 worth of coverage to $1 million would only cost 50-75% more than the current $1,200 premium,” Stupak said. “So, if Mountaineer race track would have spent $600-900 per race day extra, Gary Birzer could have had all rehab and other medical costs paid for by insurance. This small premium amounts to less than ½ of 1 percent of the track’s daily purse, but it would mean a lifetime of health care security for the jockeys who risk their lives so the track owners can make millions of dollars.”

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