Does anybody know how the Jockeys' Guild lawsuit against the NJRC's...?

Normally, I have nothing but respect for the Jockey Club, because they do a wonderful job (at least in most instances) of protecting the integrity of the sport of horse racing. But banning the use of whips during races is ridiculous. I don't give a rat's behind what state that "ban" is going to be in. It's the principle that counts, along with concern for the safety of both horses and riders. The whip is not an instrument of torture, it's intended to be used as an extension of the rider's hand and arm, just as the spur is an extension of the rider's feet. If the JC gets by with this nonsense, what will they ban next, I wonder? The spurs (spurs can cause welts and other injuries, just as whips can, if they are used excessively or with force) or Heaven forbid, a rider's helmet? COME ON. This is a slippery slope the JC is on.

And to add... Whips are necessary for jockeys, as they are for other riders in other disciplines and sports. Sometimes, the quick use of a whip is the only way to stop a horse from doing dangerous things, such as veering across the path of another horse, for example. Jockeys especially are already at a disadvantage anyway, due to the position they must be in on the horse's back. That position makes them vulnerable to being thrown, as everyone who rides is aware. It's not a position that anybody in other sports would willingly take. Even sports involving speed, such as eventing, don't require riders to sit perched on their horse's shoulders with little or no base of support or security. But racing does, and it always will. People need to remember that however much we enjoy watching horse races, the fact is that those who ride them are putting their lives on the line every time they get on a horse. There's a REASON, folks, why an ambulance follows every race, no matter what track the race is held on. And there's a reason why there is a permanent crew of paramedics (and sometimes,at least one doctor) stationed at every track. It's because the powers that be understand that racing is inherently dangerous, and at times, it's deadly. Let's not ADD TO THE DANGER that jockeys already face by taking away the tools they need to do their jobs.

One other note, which is unrelated to this question: I still think that the NYRA went WAY OVERBOARD when they banned trainer Eric Guillot from tracks in NY. Prior to that incident a week or so ago, I'd never, ever, heard the term "grape soda" being used in reference to people of color. I'm still astounded by the whole incident. Trainers don't normally name horses that race- it's generally the owner or breeder who does that. This was a rare exception. And I have a colleague where I work who's married to an African American, and even she had never heard of the term "grape soda" being used as a racist slur. I think that permanently taking away someone's livelihood and main source of income over one incident is just WRONG, period. A simple suspension and a warning would have been sufficient to get their message across. It's not like Guillot had a lengthy history of such behavior. He picked the wrong venue in which to air his views, yes- but that is hardly grounds for banning him from making a living for the rest of his life.

I would assume it starts asap, as it was to start beginning in 2021. Rule is jockeys at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ will not be allowed to use the whip “except for reasons of safety.”

The commission adopted the new rule unanimously, despite objections by The Jockeys' Guild. It is the strictest rule in the United States.

“The prohibition of the use of riding crops, except when necessary for the safety of horse or rider, will be perceived in a positive light by the general public,” said a statement from the NJRC. “The proposed repeal and new rules are of the utmost importance in adapting the industry to avoid the currently negative public perception of whipping a horse.” 

Stewards will be in charge of determining whether jockeys used the whip to maintain control of the horse, and will be able to fine or suspend jockeys if they determine a jockey used the whip “to achieve a better placing.”

The rule continues: “If the riding crop is used, under the supervision of the stewards, there shall be a visual inspection of each horse following each race for evidence of excessive or brutal use of the riding crop.”

Specifications for the whip itself include that it must be “soft-padded [and] have a shaft and a soft tube,” that it does not exceed eight ounces in weight or 30 inches in length, and has a minimum shaft diameter of three-eighths of one inch. Additionally, “the shaft, beyond the grip, must be smooth, with no protrusions or raised surface, and covered by shock absorbing material that gives a compression factor of at least one millimeter throughout its circumference.”