Afleet Alex Jockey Jeremy Rose showed up Saturday to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs with an online poker room logo on his pants, and is now being threatened with a fine because of it. Rose is facing a hearing with the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority for promoting online poker site ParadisePoker.com, an arrangement which Churchill Downs claims conflicts with a business agreement it has with online gambling site Youbet.com. A spokesperson for Churchill Downs was quoted as saying that track policy prohibits jockeys from promoting competing sponsors.

Trainer Tim Ritchey and managing partner Chuck Zacney had also planned to sport Paradise Poker logos, if their horse, Afleet Alex, won. Rose was also expected to wear the online poker site's logo at May 21's Preakness race, although it is still unclear whether this part of the deal will be fulfilled.

The advertising deal with Paradise Poker allegedly earned the Afleet Alex Group anywhere between $15,000 and $20,000. Zacney reported that most of this sum would be donated to charitable institutions, including the Louisville Children's Hospital.

No date has yet been set for the hearing.

Source:  Poker777 Staff

Monday, 16 May 2005