Arlington riders, racetrack to assist injured jockey

Arlington Park jockey colony will gather in the Paddock area Saturday to sign autographs for fans while raising money for their injured colleague, Rene Douglas, who remains hospitalized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago following a May 23 racing accident at Arlington Park.

From 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Arlington Park jockeys will be stationed in the Paddock area to meet and greet fans, sign goggles, photos and memorabilia in exchange for a donation to a fund established by the Douglas family and friends.

Officials at Arlington Park have agreed to match donations collected Saturday up to $5,000.

Fans unable to attend the races at Arlington Park on Saturday may still make donations to the Douglas fund by sending checks made payable to Rene Douglas in care of Citibank, 539 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

As another sign of support, jockeys will be wearing a patch on their boots on Saturday in honor of Douglas. They will also wear a second patch and gather in the Arlington Park winner's circle at approximately 3:15 p.m. as riders at racetracks across the U.S. and Canada take part in a unified show of support for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF).

Douglas, a six-time riding champion at Arlington Park, underwent seven hours of spinal surgery after the accident.