Why Donate ?
Our disabled jockeys live bravely with paralysis, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Please help them!
G.R. Carter, Jr.
Currently vice chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild, G.R. Carter is the all-time leading Quarter Horse jockey by wins and purse earnings. He is a four-time winner of the All American Futurity and 10-time AQHA national champion jockey. Carter has served on the PDJF board of directors since 2006.
Jon Court
Since beginning his riding career in 1980, jockey Jon Court has tallied over 4000 victories. He has served as secretary to the Jockeys’ Guild and has been a PDJF board member since 2006. Court was honored with the George Woolf Memorial Award in 2007 and the Mike Venezia Memorial Award in 2015.
Bo Derek
Actress, humanitarian, and businesswoman, Bo Derek has been a PDJF board member since 2009. She was a member of the California Horse Racing Board from 2008-2015. Derek, an avid horsewoman, is active in both human and animal causes and has been a vocal opponent of horse slaughter in the U.S.
William S. Farish
Owner of Lane’s End Farm, Will Farish was a founding member of the Breeders’ Cup; served as chairman of Churchill Downs; was a steward and vice chairman of The Jockey Club; and is a trustee at Keeneland. He received the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2009. Former ambassador to Great Britain, Farish has generously contributed to PDJF’s general operations and endowment fund and has been a board member since 2009.
Jack Fires
Jack Fires was 21 years old and only 5 years into his career as a jockey when a riding accident left him paraplegic in 1977. Fires is a PDJF beneficiary as well as a board member, having been named to the board in 2006. He represents the PDJF at numerous fundraising events across the country.
Craig Fravel
Following the 2019 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park, Craig Fravel returned to California to lead the racing assets of the Stronach Group. Fravel undertook this new challenge following a rewarding run as President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited from 2011 through 2019. His tenure at the Breeders’ Cup followed 21 years managing the daily operations of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and serving as a leader of various Thoroughbred industry organizations.
Mike Joyce
Mike Joyce has done just about every job at the racetrack, from popping corn to writing races at Wyoming Downs. He has been with TVG since 2001 as host, analyst, and reporter for Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. He was named to the PDJF board in 2015.
Nancy LaSala
Nancy LaSala has served as board president of the PDJF since its inception in 2006. In January 2009, she additionally accepted the role as executive director. She dutifully administers the Fund in accordance with the by-laws set by its board of directors while currently employed by a global leader in industrial processing equipment.
Terry Meyocks
Terry Meyocks has been a racing secretary as well as a racing executive. He was president of the New York Racing Association and thereafter a principal in the consulting firm of Meyocks & O’Hara Racing Enterprises. A former NTRA vice president, he became national manager of the Jockeys’ Guild in September 2007 and has served on the PDJF board since 2009.
Bill Murphy
After in-country service for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, Bill Murphy went on to a career in Thoroughbred racing that included executive posts at Hialeah Park, Detroit Race Course, Thistledown, and Gulfstream Park. Murphy, a PDJF board member since 2009, is currently vice president of player development at XpressBet LLC.
Billy Peterson
After more than 10 years as a winning Quarter Horse jockey, including the 1995 All American Futurity, Billy Peterson now owns the financial services company, Peterson Wealth Services Inc. Previously he was a senior vice president at Paine Webber and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. From 2000 to 2004 he served as president of the Utah Quarter Horse Association. Peterson has been a PDJF board member since 2011.
William Punk, Jr.
Thoroughbred owner and breeder William J. Punk, Jr. joined the PDJF board in 2009 and serves as chairman of its investment committee. Now retired, he was active in the investment banking industry for more than 40 years. Punk was founder and managing partner of Punk, Ziegel & Co. which was acquired in 2008.
Mike Rogers
After beginning his career in horse racing as a hot walker nearly 30 years ago, Mike Rogers is now president of The Stronach Group’s racing division. For the past 16 years he has been actively involved in the Thoroughbred operations of owner and breeder Frank Stronach. Rogers has served on the PDJF board since 2011.
John Velazquez
Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez has nearly 6,000 victories and purse earnings that exceed $369 million. He received the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in both 2004 and 2005 and the George Woolf Memorial Award in 2009. Velazquez is chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild board of directors and has served on the PDJF board since 2006.
Paul Braverman
Paul Braverman has been a thoroughbred owner and breeder since 1979 and joined the PDJF board in 2019. He is retired after working for 30 years in the investment management industry, serving his last 22 years as CFO and Partner of Wellington Management Company, LLP. Paul is an attorney and CPA and now serves on the boards of several for-profit and non-profit entities.