Every year, some of the best jockeys in the country come together to sing, dance and raise money for former riders who were severely injured on the job. For more than a decade, jockeys have been dropping the reins and grabbing a mic to karaoke for a cause.

“We have an awesome time, and the whole racing community that comes to support, they just have a blast. It is wonderful, and obviously, we never lose sight of why we’re doing this,” said Hall of Fame jockey Ramon Dominguez.

The annual "Riders Up" karaoke contest raises money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, supporting former jockeys like Michael Straight, a Capital Region native.

“It’s probably the reason I’m here right now. It just helps me live life, pays a lot of my bills, and there’s a lot of things that come with being permanently disabled,” said Straight.

It was 2009 when the then 24-year-old suffered a catastrophic on-track injury at Arlington Park, Ill.

“I went down. Luckily, no horse touched me. I just landed wrong and got paralyzed from the chest down,” said Straight.

Today, Straight is one of 60 former riders receiving financial support from the PDJF. Founded in 2006, the charity has provided millions of dollars to jockeys who have suffered paralysis, brain injuries or both.

The PDJF has no guaranteed funding from the horse racing industry and relies on donations to assist disabled jockeys who have lost their income.