If you love horse racing, then you should definitely come to the annual ‘Jockeys and Jeans’ fundraiser, which will take place on Saturday, June 24 at the iconic Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This event is a great opportunity to mingle with Hall of Fame jockeys and, most importantly, to honor fallen riders.
The event is organized by Jockeys and Jeans, and its president, Barry Pearl, described it as a celebration of the sport of racing and a tribute to those who lost their careers in one moment of tragedy. According to Pearl, the fortunate ones who walked away intact will never forget their brothers and sisters who weren’t that lucky.
Jockeys and Jeans first came together in 2014 when a group of ex-jockeys had a reunion after they discovered each other on Facebook. The majority of them hadn’t seen each other for over 30 years. Former rider, Reverend Eddie Donnally, and former Kentucky Derby winner, Mike Manganello, turned that reunion into a charity concept. The committee later grew to include Barbara Jo Rubin, the first woman to win in the US; Darrell Brown, a former leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs; Dennis Petrucelli, a former Tampa Bay Downs rider; and Barry Pearl, a former rider from the 60s and 70s.
Reverend Eddie teamed up with the Permanently Disable Jockeys Fund (PDJF) to help raise money for individuals in need. This year, the event will be held at a casino instead of a track and will start at 7 p.m. Attendees will be served a delicious seated dinner and be able to bid on live and silent auction items, including unique horse racing memorabilia. Furthermore, spectators will have the opportunity to meet Hall of Fame jockeys.
American businessman, James Franklin McIngvale, who is also known as ‘Mattress Mack’, will be honored at the event. He is the founder of Gallery Furniture in Houston and has been a generous supporter of Jockeys and Jeans.
According to Pearl, “This year’s event represents a historic step in our evolution. We hope to set a record for funds raised at a horse racing related charity event. This will also be our first event not held at a thoroughbred track, but all the folks at Caesars Palace are experts at hosting events and are going full tilt boogie to make sure ours is a huge success.”
Don’t wait and buy your tickets now! You can purchase early bird and past attendee tickets for $110, single tickets for $125, and VIP tickets for $250. Additionally, if you buy a nine-person table for $1,800, you will have the opportunity to sit with one of the Hall of Fame jockeys. You can purchase tickets on Ticketmaster.com.
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