Jockeys who sued and won the right to wear their union patch during the Kentucky Derby filed in US District court this week to have the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority pay their attorney fees - totaling more than $93,000. In April of this year members of the Jockeys Guild threatened to defy state law prohibiting the display of promotional symbols during races. Kentucky Derby jockeys threatened to wear their union's patches anyway, saying the Racing Authority was violating their First Amendment rights. But the labor action wasn't necessary after a district judge ruled on May 1st that jockeys could wear their union logos.

Albert Fiss, Vice President of the Jockeys' Guild, explains why it is so important for jockeys to be able to display their union patch.

[Fiss1] "Its our intent to raise the awareness of the general public as well as the race fan that these jockeys do a very dangerous job. They do not get paid very much money for the job that they do and its high time that they get the type of benefits that other people in similar kinds of jobs are recieving."

Fourteen jockeys were fined $500 for wearing the guild patch during the 2003 Kentucky Derby.