Douglas to receive tribute on Saturday

Jockeys across North America on Saturday will pay tribute to jockey Rene Douglas in a show of support for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced on Wednesday.

Douglas was seriously injured in an accident at Arlington Park on May 23. He has not regained feeling in his legs.

At Belmont Park, jockeys will gather for a ceremony in the winner's circle at approximately 4:15 p.m. Eastern. Jockeys in the United States and Canada are scheduled to have similar tributes at approximately the same time at all tracks that are running Saturday.

All active riders are being encouraged to donate one losing mount fee from their Saturday earnings to Douglas.

In 1996, Douglas won the Belmont Stakes on Editor's Note.

Charles Hayward, the president of chief executive officer of the New York Racing Association, which runs Belmont Park, will make a $5,000 contribution to the fund during the ceremony. He will be joined by Ron Turcotte, who swept the Triple Crown on Secretariat in 1973 but then was paralyzed from the waist down in a racing accident in 1978.

The disabled jockeys fund, and the Backstretch Employee Service Team, are charities that will receive donations from the sponsorship of NetJets of riders competing in the Belmont Stakes.

The fund has disbursed more than $2 million to assist with living expenses of permanently disabled riders. Information is available at .

Contributions in support of Douglas can be made out to Douglas and sent to Citibank, 539 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, Ill., 60611.