On Thursday, June 9, more than a half-dozen jockeys from Belmont Park will ride into the hearts of
families at the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island as part of the annual
Jockey Day event.
Two days before the 143rd running of the $1 million
Belmont Stakes, Janet Baeza, Ryan Curatolo, Ramon Dominguez, Alan Garcia,
Maylan Studart, and John Velazquez, among others, will travel to the Ronald
McDonald House in New Hyde Park at 10:30 a.m. to mingle with children at the
House. Clad in their colorful silks, the riders will pose for photographs and
distribute gifts of personally autographed riding goggles and hats.
“This is a great event for our children and their
families,” said Ronald McDonald House of Long Island Executive Director Matthew
Campo. “Meeting the jockeys is always a wonderful time for everyone. We
wish them the best of luck on Saturday.”
Dominguez and Velazquez will have mounts in this year’s Belmont, with Dominguez
riding Mucho Macho Man and Velazquez riding Kentucky Derby winner Animal
Kingdom. Velazquez won the 2007 race with the filly Rags to Riches, the first
female to win the Belmont
in 102 years.
The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is celebrating its 25th
anniversary this year. It is a ‘home-away-from home’ for families
who are caring for seriously ill children undergoing medical treatment in area
hospitals. Located on the campus of the Cohen Children’s Medical Center, the House accommodates families
in a warm and supportive environment. Since opening in 1986, approximately
13,000 families from the United
States and more than 80 countries around the
world have been served. Many of the families are from Queens, Suffolk
and Nassau Counties, as well as the surrounding
metropolitan area.