BY JOCKEYS AND JEANS PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
Jockeys and Jeans, an all-volunteer group that has raised more than $3.4 million for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, has named Mike Joyce its 2024 Person of Year. He will accept the award and speak about the need to aid disabled former jockeys during Jockeys and Jeans 10th annual event at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 11.
Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by clicking here.
Joyce follows previous winners Jim “Mattress Mac” McIngvale (2022), a Thoroughbred owner and Houston area entrepreneur; and Joe Morris (2023), Caesars Entertainment vice president of racing.
“I was reluctant to accept the award because as a board member of the PDJF, I feel like the work we do is our responsibility to the riders that risk their life every day for our entertainment,” Joyce said. “It’s incumbent upon all of us to give back where we can. I look forward to being at the event and I am really honored to be the Jockeys and Jeans Person of the Year.”
Joyce has been a board member since 2016. FanDuel has made three six figure donations to the charity and telecasts PDJF’s annual telethon.
Nancy LaSala, PDJF President recognized Joyce’s contribution to helping disabled jockeys.
“On behalf of the PDJF we are grateful to those who support this Jockeys and Jeans event that benefits our mission for permanently disabled jockeys,” LaSala said. “I thank the Jockeys and Jeans committee for acknowledging the work of Mike Joyce for our injured jockeys and others in our sport that he has championed for. Mike is very passionate about the things he supports and his perspectives are based on a lifetime of racing industry knowledge that was learned at a young age. The sport of horse racing is a part of the Joyce family fabric.”
