Companion Bills Aim to Take Away Coverage from Exercise Workers in Horse Racing

Exercise employees who help train horse jockeys may no longer be covered in the future under the New York State Jockey Injury Fund, thanks to a bill introduced by the chairman of the Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee. The New York Jockey Injury Fund was created to provide workers’ compensation benefits to jockeys, apprentice jockeys and “exercise persons,” such as personal trainers. However, Sen. John Bonacic, R-Hudson Valley, introduced a bill early this month that would effectively remove the mandate for the fund to cover any exercise persons who are...