Jockeys Whip: Is It a Useful or an Abusive Tool in Racing Industry?
By Joseph Dursoa It has been five months since New York State issued its first rules on the proper use of the riding crop by jockeys, and the question still remains: to whip or not to whip? “You can use it, but not abuse it,” said Jerry Bailey, the leading rider in the country. “I don’t like to use the stick too much. You never know how the horse will react. Some of them don’t like it. Some resent it. Some stop running. “You don’t want to hurt the horse. So, the rules are clear: You can hit him only on the shoulder and the rump. They’re like people. They have less padding on the shoulder, more on the rump. You should wait until he extends to full stride, then flick him once to see how he reacts. But there are no magic spots. It depends entirely on the horse, and they’re all different.” But Bailey, who is scheduled to ride Grand Slam in the Travers Stakes Saturday at Saratoga and Skip Away in the Iselin Handicap Sunday at Monmouth Park, speaks analytically about an issue that often invo
