Forwarding: SARATOGA JOCKEYS PUMP UP THE JAM IN KARAOKE CONTEST TO BENEFIT PERMANENTLY DISABLED RIDERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:  Nancy LaSala

nancy.lasala@yahoo.com

630-595-7660

 

SARATOGA JOCKEYS PUMP UP THE JAM IN KARAOKE CONTEST TO BENEFIT PERMANENTLY DISABLED RIDERS

 

CHICAGO – July 31, 2012 – With heart and soul – and likely more than a few off-key notes – New York jockeys are prepared to take to a Saratoga, N.Y., stage and sing out in support of their fallen comrades.

 

The “Riders Up!” jockey karaoke competition will be held Monday, August 13, 2012, from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Vapor Night Club inside Saratoga Casino and Raceway to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). A cross between “American Idol” and “The Gong Show,” the popular event features members of the Saratoga jockey colony belting out crowd favorites backed by a live band.

 

“This is a fun event for us and for the fans,” said Jockeys’ Guild Chairman John Velazquez. “We let loose and have a good time.  We don’t mind a little embarrassment because it’s all for a great cause: to raise funds for the permanently disabled jockeys. It’s a competition but the real winner is the PDJF.

 

“We’re super competitive on the racetrack but we try to outdo each other in the karaoke contest, too. Some of the guys have even started to wear costumes and wigs. Each year we do this it seems to be a bigger deal than the last,” Velazquez explained.  Jockeys have sung karaoke at PDJF fundraisers at both Saratoga Race Course and at Keeneland.

 

Among the jockeys scheduled to compete are: Junior Alvarado, Javier Castellano, David Cohen, Ramon Dominguez, Alan Garcia, Julien Leparoux, Mike Luzzi, Rajiv Maragh, Rosie Napravnik, Edgar Prado, Joel Rosario, Maylan Studart, and John Velazquez.

 

“Jockeys are much better singers than one would expect, and those who struggle are, at the very least, entertaining,” said Vic Zast, author and long-time chronicler of Saratoga seasons. “Despite all the fancy social gatherings going on during the Saratoga meet, this particular fundraiser is a ‘don’t miss’ event.”

Advance tickets are $100 and are available at www.pdjf.org. Tickets include passed hors d’oeuvres (from 6:00-7:30 p.m.), cash bar, a silent auction, open microphone, and dancing. Vapor Night Club is located inside Saratoga Casino and Raceway, 342 Jefferson Street, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Patrons must be 21 years of age or older to enter the premises.

 

(MEDIA ADVISORY:  A clip from last year’s “Saratoga sing” is available on YouTube. Click here for downloadable photos.)

 

The PDJF is a 501(c)(3) charity that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. Founded in 2006, PDJF has disbursed more than $3 million to permanently disabled jockeys, most of whom have sustained paralysis or brain injuries. The fund is a cooperative effort among race tracks, jockeys, horsemen, and enthusiasts.

 

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