Gulfstream-based jockey Rajiv Maragh announced Thursday via twitter that he has decided to stop riding indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. He told the TDN that the reasons for his decision include that his wife is five-months pregnant with their first child.
Maragh is listed on one horse Friday at Gulfstream, Yes I See (Exchange Rate), the 5-2 second choice in the line in the second race.
“I am doing this mainly for the health and welfare of myself and my family,” he said. “I have a pregnant wife at home and the last thing I want to happen is for me to get sick and transfer that to her.”
Few jockeys can less afford time off than Maragh, whose career has been plagued by injuries that have stalled his momentum. He said that never entered his mind when making the decision to stop riding.
“Not at all,” he said. “What I am thinking of is that this thing is out of my control and I don't think I can protect myself the way I feel I need to because of the small confined area that is the jockeys' room. There are so many people in a small area. I have to be proactive and do what is best for my health and the health of my family. I feel vulnerable being here.”
The jockey said he had not been self-quarantining, but had been taking extra precautions of late, including not allowing visitors to come to his home.
Maragh said he is hoping his time away from the racetrack will be a brief one.
“The sooner this is over the better for everybody,” he said. “For now, everybody needs to be vigilant about taking care of themselves until this gets under control. The sooner everyone does that the sooner we'll all be able to recover from this.”
In his tweet, Margh apologized to the owners and trainers who had been counting on him.
“Hopefully, the owners and trainers who I'm riding for don't hold it against me in the future,” he wrote. “But the well being of myself and my family is first.”
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