NYRA, Jockeys' Guild reach agreement on new contract

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association and the Jockeys’ Guild on Friday reached agreement in principle on a new contract that will avert a threatened strike by the Aqueduct riding colony.

Details of the new agreement were not released. The Jockeys’ Guild sought a three-year contract from NYRA for payments that go toward paying health and insurance benefits for those jockeys who ride regularly at NYRA’s three tracks – Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga. The Guild did not seek an increase in payments for 2018, but did want a 1 percent increase in 2019 and 2020.

However, Tom Kennedy an attorney for the Guild, said the new contract is not for three years.

“We agreed to a shorter contract that will be fleshed out between lawyers of the Guild and the lawyers for NYRA in the next week or so,” Kennedy said late Friday afternoon.

Asked if he was content with the deal, Kennedy said: “Well, we agreed to it. NYRA had some points they wanted to make and we listened to them and they listened to us. We agreed to it, so we are prepared to say it’s a fair arrangement.”

NYRA was not prepared to say much other than to confirm there was a deal.

“NYRA and the Jockeys’ Guild have come to an agreement in principle,” Pat McKenna, a NYRA spokesman said, declining to comment further until the agreement is fully executed.

Last week, several Aqueduct-based jockeys said had a deal not been reached they were prepared not to take calls beginning Jan. 1, though they were going to ride through Jan. 5 as entries for those races were taken in calendar year 2017.