“We
are trying to be more inclusive,” said SBOANJ President Mark Ford. “We
are trying to encourage qualified individuals to apply.”
The
cost for premiums for caretakers/grooms have been cut in half for single
enrollees and nearly so for families. The monthly rate for singles has
been reduced from $100 to $50 for 2016.
To
be eligible, the caretaker must be a full-time employee for a trainer qualified
for the New Jersey program. Paycheck stubs must be provided as proof.
Requirements
for eligibility for the insurance program have been adjusted for trainers and
drivers in 2016. The minimum number of starts in New Jersey has been
reduced from 36 to 24. Additionally, the percentage of starters raced in
New Jersey has been lowered from 51 percent to 33.3 percent, as long as the
trainer-driver does not qualify for an insurance program in another
jurisdiction.
Applications
are available on the SBOANJ website, from the Horsemen’s Representative at
Freehold and the Meadowlands, and in the SBOANJ office in Manalapan.
