Jockeys throughout the United States and Canada will exhibit their unified show of
support this Saturday for apprentice jockey Michael Straight, who was critically injured in a race at Arlington Park on August 26.
Jockeys across the nation are being asked to donate one mount fee Saturday to
the Don MacBeth Memorial Fund earmarked for Straight to help defray
costs of his long-term needs. They will also be riding with two patches on their
boots, one in honor of Michael Straight and the other paying tribute to the
Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), which currently aids 60 permanently
disabled jockeys.
“We appreciate the generosity of the jockeys, racetracks and fans throughout
the country,” said John Velazquez, chairman of the board of directors of the
Jockeys’ Guild. “We think it is important that those who love the sport of
racing show support for Michael at this critical time. We are in his corner.”
Straight, a native of East Greenbush, New York, graduated from Chris
McCarron’s North American Racing Academy in 2008 and has 39 winners from 372
races. He was riding Im No Genetleman (Whadjathink) in the 8TH race at Arlington
on August 26 when his mount appeared to clip heels with another horse in the
vicinity of the quarter-pole and fell, sending his rider to the track. Straight
suffered injuries to the spine, including four broken vertebrae. Doctors at
Lutheran General Hospital performed spinal surgery and inserted a flexible rod
to stabilize the spine.
“My family wants to thank the Jockeys’ Guild and our fellow
riders for their generosity and support for Mike as he continues to recover from
his injuries,” said Michael Straight’s twin brother and fellow jockey, Matthew.
Matthew Straight is named to ride MORE THAN ABLE (More Than Ready) in the 4TH
race at Arlington Park on Saturday. The four-year-old gelding had been ridden by
Michael Straight in his previous four starts.
“With the national fundraising effort for Mike taking place
that day, I really wanted to be able to be part of it and ride a horse,” Matthew
Straight explained. “This horse is one that Mike had been riding and won on. It would really be
great to win one for Mike that day.”
“As jockeys, we want to do our part for those in racing that have been less
fortunate,” said jockey Robby Albarado, member of the board of directors of the
Jockeys’ Guild.
“The racing industry needs to come together to take care of our own, be they
jockeys, exercise riders, grooms or hotwalkers. All those involved in racing,”
jockey Mike Smith, a member of the Jockeys’ Guild Senate, added.
While contributions for Michael Straight are to be directed to the Don MacBeth
Fund, permanently disabled jockeys depend on the Permanently Disabled Jockeys
Fund (PDJF) for assistance.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Michael and his family,” said Nancy LaSala,
executive director of the PDJF. “This sport has its
inherent risks and we ask that you keep all of those who have met with
misfortune in your thoughts.”
Contributions to the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockeys Fund earmarked for Michael
Straight should be sent to P.O. Box 18470, Encino, CA, 91416. For more
information on the MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, please visit
www.macbethfund.org.
Donations to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund should be sent to P.O. Box
803, Elmhurst, IL, 60126, or information and online contributions can be made at www.pdjf.org.