Jockey Insanity

The above picture is the locker of Calvin Borel, the jockey who has won 3 Kentucky Derbys including the last 2 Derbys.

The major take-home point from the "behind-the-scenes" tour that we took is that jockeys have a crazy job. For the Kentucky Derby they have to weigh (with all their gear) exactly 126 lbs. Not one pound more or less. So before their weigh-in if they need to lose weight there is this tub of torture that they go into. Before they get in they pour rubbing alcohol all over their body to dilate their pores. Then they get into the 130 degree water for 10 minutes. They get out with blisters and burns all over their body but 2 pounds lighter. They told us that to lose 2 lbs in the sauna they have it would take 3 straight hours in the sauna. So obviously they have major eating disorders among many of the jockeys. To add weight they have weighted saddle pads of varying weights. They get paid roughly $80 to ride a horse in any race (it varies based on what their agent negotiates) and they get around 10% of the prize winnings. They can ride in 8 or so races a day- all of which could require a different weight.

Sounds healthy right?

The last picture is the paddocks where the jockeys get on their horses to ride them onto the track.