Get ready for a night of music, laughter, and unforgettable performances as the 12th Annual Riders Up! jockey karaoke contest, benefiting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), returns to Saratoga Springs. This one-of-a-kind event, now one of the most highly anticipated evenings on the Saratoga race meet's social calendar, will take place on Sunday, July 28th at Vapor Night Club.
As in previous years, the Saratoga contest will be part of the Battle of East-vs-West with the Del Mar event being held on August 11th. Some of America's top jockeys will showcase their hidden talents not seen on the racetrack. These skilled athletes will reveal their little-known vocal talents and stage presence as they trade their riding crops for microphones, singing their hearts out to a diverse array of songs in what promises to be a night filled with memorable moments.
The Saratoga jockeys will be first out of the gate on Sunday, July 28th at Vapor Night (342 Jefferson St., Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). Legendary track announcer Tom Durkin returns as emcee, and this year's judges are NBC Racing Analyst and former jockey, Donna Barton Brothers, former MLB All-Star and co-owner of Dornoch, 2024 Belmont and Haskell Stakes winner, Jayson Werth, 3-time NYS Emmy Award-winning Spectrum 1 evening anchor, Marisa Jacques, NewsChannel 13 co-anchor and longtime Upstate NY area sports reporter, Mark Mulholland, and Lexington, KY's own internationally-known priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese, Father Jim Sichko.
The festivities will be posted throughout the evening on PDJF social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. (www.facebook.com/jockeysfund) and after the judges on each coast name their favorite performance, the public will vote for their favorite online via Facebook and Twitter (@PDJFund).
General admission tickets (includes one drink coupon) for each person are $75 with 7:45 p.m. entry to Vapor Night Club and 7:45 p.m. entry to Belly Up. A limited number of VIP tickets are available at each venue for $175 which includes early entry 6:00 PM local time at both venues, open reserved seats, two drink coupons, and a buffet dinner with the jockeys. Performances are scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM local time. Both events feature live and silent auctions and a cash bar. Patrons must be 21 years of age or older to enter the premises. Tickets are now on sale at https://pdjf.org/purchase-tickets.
Multi-tiered sponsorship opportunities are available for both events. Contact the PDJF by email (info@pdjf.org) or call (630) 595-7660.
