How many races does a jockey race, and can they live off of what they make?

Question

How many races does a jockey race, and can they live off of what they make?

Answer 1

Each jockey rides in about 7 or 8 of the approximately 10 races on the card each day.  Jockeys are usually given 10% of what they win in each race.  You can have a contract with a trainer that they'll pay you more, but it's pretty rare.  Jockeys will also get up early in the morning to work out horses for trainers that they ride for... they pick up a few extra bucks that way.  Jockeys do live off of what they make so yes they "can."  Sometimes it's rough.  If you're a stakes winner, you'll make a lot of money.  However, if you're riding at a little track doing mostly allowance and claimers, you're not going to make very much.  You're never guaranteed to win and winning even 4 or 5 races is a lot!  Considering that you're going to be riding in a race with a purse of about $4000 which will be split among the top finishers of the race, that works out to be not very much money.  And if that's the only race you win that day, then that's all the money you get.  Then you have to remember that they're risking their lives every time they go out on the track and you're bound to fall sometime and they usually don't have the best insurance so they have to pay for their medical bills when they have injuries and when they're injured they're not riding.  Jockeys often return too soon from their injuries... doctors will recommend more time off than the jockeys take... because if you're not riding, you're not making money.  So it's a really uncertain lifestyle, even if you are one of the top jocks.  But people do it every day.  So yes, even if you're a jockey doing only the low level races at the small track, it can be done.

Answer 2

in australia some jockeys race up to seven days a week, with up to 10 races a day, then theres the trackwork they do in the mornings.

there are only 2 days a year we dont race ,they are xmas day, and good friday!

and yes, jockeys live of what they earn in the racing industry!

Answer 3

a jockey ride at nine meetings each week, no more!

flat jockeys get paid£107.50 per ride and jump jockeys get 127.50 per ride.

Answer 4

Depends in the jockey!

The more experienced jockeys will get a ride in most races every day, and over here in GB with Summer night racing, that can mean as many as 12 or 13 races a day, though they are talking about limiting jockeys to 9 races a day so that they don't get too tired with all the travelling from one course to another.

However, the apprentice jockeys, or less well known jockeys, may only get one or two rides a day, and when you factor in the cost of travelling to the racecourse each day it can be hard to make a living.

Jockeys in GB get paid a flat rate fee of about £115 for every ride they have regardless of whether it wins or comes last.  On top of that they get a % of the prize money if the horse finishes in the money.

Answer 5

YES they can live off what they make.. did you see how small they are.... and they can race as much as they want.. but if they fall they will die it is a long way off those saddles.. as I said did you see how small they are ( the jockeys )...