by Ed DeRosa

Terry Meyocks, the former president of New York Racing Association and consultant for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, will succeed Dwight Manley as national manager of the Jockeys’ Guild, Jockeys' Guild Chairman John Velazquez said on Thursday.

Manley announced Wednesday that he would resign as Guild national manager, a position he has held since July 2006.

“The Guild is very pleased to be able to appoint as National Manager an industry leader with the stature of Terry Meyocks,” said Velazquez. “This appointment shows that the Guild is becoming stronger and more financially sound. We are confident that Terry will improve communication with our membership and encourage a spirit of cooperation with all segments of the racing industry. We are committed to increasing jockeys mount fees, insurance benefits and on-track safety.”

Meyocks, who left the NTRA to establish Meyocks and O’Hara Racing Enterprises Inc. with former Equibase Co. President Phil O’Hara Jr., has several jockey connections in his family. He is the son of late jockey agent Paul Blair Meyocks, his son, Kevin, is a jockey agent in Florida, and his daughter, Abby, is married to jockey Javier Castellano.

“I look forward to working with John and the rest of the Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys to increase the effectiveness of the organization and to help it promote horseracing,” said Meyocks. “We will help further the Guild’s efforts related to the issues addressed by John. At the same time, we plan on bettering communication with the membership and increasing the awareness of [National Thoroughbred Racing Association] Charities-Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund which provides aid in the form of healthcare and daily living expenses for the nation’s permanently disabled jockeys.

“Furthermore, we are looking to build bridges in the industry among all the stakeholders. With star horses continuing to be sent to the breeding shed after short careers, we believe that it is necessary to market the sport with participants that will have significantly longer careers, including the jockeys. The Jockeys' Guild is prepared to help racing move forward. We need to work together as an industry if we are going to succeed in growing the sport.”

Manley, 41, succeeded L. Wayne Gertmenian, who the Guild’s board of directors ousted in December 2005. Manley first met with the Guild on June 26 at a Guild Senate meeting in Louisville where the Reverend. Jesse Jackson of the RainbowPUSH Coalition spoke on his behalf.

“My decision to resign was not an easy one, but a necessary one,” Manley said. “I’m a single father of two children, and I cannot commit the time that the Jockeys’ Guild deserves from its national manager and fulfill my obligations to my family.”

During his tenure, Manley has helped right the finances of the Guild and has bolstered its political strength within the Thoroughbred racing industry. Manley settled lawsuits with former Guild member and paralyzed jockey Gary Birzer as well as with Churchill Downs Inc.

“Mr. Manley became national manager at a time of crisis for our organization,” Velazquez said. “He saved the Guild. Under his leadership, we have now stabilized our finances. We appreciate all of his efforts and his achievements as our leader in dealing with the industry and achieving a sound financial basis for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.”

Manley fulfilled his duties without compensation and personally loaned the organization $500,000 to help it avoid bankruptcy. Manley is a rare coin collector who has acted as agent for Karl Malone and Dennis Rodman.

“I firmly believe that now is the time for the Guild to have a more traditional national manager—someone who is salaried, works out of the Guild’s office, and has the ability to devote 100% of his time to the Guild’s future,” Manley said.

Ed DeRosa is news editor of Thoroughbred Times