No jockeys are listed on the overnight for Thursday, Sept. 4, at Oklahoma’s Remington Park, due to an ongoing dispute over mount fees between the Jockeys’ Guild and the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma. Jockeys will fulfill their current obligations at Remington, sources told the Paulick Report.

According to the Jockeys’ Guild, Thoroughbred Jockeys riding in Oklahoma are currently riding for a minimum mount fee of $75, which was adopted in 2010. At the time, that was a fair and reasonable mount fee. However, a lot has changed since then, including the increase of the cost of living, as well as other costs being assessed to the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys.

Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO) posted on its Facebook page: “unfortunately, we were unable to reach an agreement with the Jockeys’ Guild.”

Included in this post was the scale TRAO had proposed on Aug. 26 of a minimum of $90 and the most recent scale that the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys have requested of a minimum of $110. Scales from the states of Louisiana and Texas, as well as Oaklawn Park and Finger Lakes in New York, were also included in the post.

The Guild, has and continues to be in ongoing discussions regarding increases in various jurisdictions throughout the country, including those referenced.

However, the Jockey’s Guild asserts that there were many facts TRAO failed to include, including differing circumstances in the jurisdictions referenced in its post. First and foremost, the Oklahoma Thoroughbred jockeys have not received an increase in 15 years and have been attempting to reach an agreement for an increase since 2021. During that time, the Guild, at the direction of the jockeys, continued to act in good faith and provide reasonable proposals to TRAO.

The response from TRAO was it “was not willing to take action” until the end April of this year. At that time, TRAO sent a counter proposal which provided for a nominal $5 increase and also included a 4th place incentive that the Guild had provided in one of the previous proposals.

While we recognize the cost of racing has increased for the owners and horsemen, it has also increased for the jockeys. Starting this year, Thoroughbred jockeys riding at Will Rogers Downs were assessed a fee for HISA of $2.76 per mount and those riding at Remington Park are paying $5.76 per mount. To the best of our knowledge, Oklahoma is the only jurisdiction where jockeys are being assessed these fees directly.

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After the jockeys pay their agents, valets, HISA fees and Guild membership fees, the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys are taking home approximately $40. The current jockey mount fees are not sufficient to allow the jockeys, those who are risking their lives, to earn a fair living for themselves and their families.

TRAO’s statement also failed to include the fact the proposal on behalf of the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys is the same scale currently being paid to Oklahoma Quarter Horse Jockeys as provided for in Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission Directive, 2025-D-1, OAC 325:25-1-30, Jockey Mount Fees.

It should also be noted that starting in 2023, based on the opinion of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, the Oklahoma Jockeys are no longer being paid on the Oklahoma Bred incentives that are included in purses. Furthermore, in the jurisdictions referenced in TRAO’s post, as well as many others, the jockeys are paid on the state-bred incentives that are included in the purses and in the horses’ earnings.

For all of these reasons, the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys believe it is only fair and reasonable to be afforded the increase to a minimum of $110 per mount. They are simply asking to be provided with the same scale that has been approved for the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Jockeys.

It is recognized jockeys are independent contractors and jockeys are free to negotiate their own terms for each horse they ride. However, in the past, the Jockeys’ Guild, on behalf of the Oklahoma Jockeys, and the respective horsemen’s organizations have agreed to a minimum mount. The Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys are hopeful an agreement can be reached with TRAO.

Negotiations regarding the minimum mount fees are between Jockeys’ Guild, on behalf of the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Jockeys, and TRAO, and do not include Remington Park. The Guild has a longstanding working relationship with Remington Park and hopes to continue to do so moving forward.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.