In 1904, Laska Durnell nominated husband and horse trainer Charles Durnell’s horse, Elwood, to compete in the Kentucky Derby that year. Elwood won and became the first starter and winner owned by a woman. Elwood was also bred by a woman, Mrs. JB Prather.
By the 1940s, women owners were quite common. In 1942, seven of the eight horses running for the roses were owned by the fairer sex. Unfortunately, racing fans had to wait until 1970 to see a female jockey compete in the Derby when Diane Crump rode a horse named Fathom. He didn’t win, but Crump went down in history as the first woman to compete in any race with male jockeys and the first to win a stakes race. She rode for a total of 15 years before retiring in 1985.
In addition to Crump, only five women have ridden in any of the Triple Crown races, including Patti Cooksey, Andrea Seefeldt, Julie Krone, Rosemary Homeister, and Rosie Napravnik. Napravnik competed twice in 2011 and again in 2013 in the Derby. She also became the only woman to ever ride in all three Triple Crown races. She also became the first woman to ride in two Kentucky Oaks races. When she retired in 2015, at the age of 27, she was ranked 7th among all jockeys of both genders in earnings and races won.
According to the Jockeys’ Guild membership, approximately ten percent of riders are women. The majority of female jockeys never reach top-level racing. Although a handful have won major non-Derby races, the run for the roses remains elusive.
It doesn’t help that horse racing has been pretty much a male-dominated sport. At least when it comes to jockeys, with more women owners and trainers breaking in today. Mary Hirsch became the first female trainer to have a horse running in the Derby in 1937. Trainer Kathy Ritvo had Mucho Macho Man in the 2011 Kentucky Derby, where he came in third. Mucho Macho Man went on to win the 2013 Breeder’s Cup Classic. This made Ritvo the first female trainer with a Classic win. Still, women couldn’t compete as jockeys in racing until 1968. American equestrian and Olympic medalist Kathryn Kusner sued the Maryland Racing Commission so she could get a jockey’s license.
Women jockeys are on the rise, slowly. However, many still complain of having to deal with sexual harassment, gender bias, not being given quality rides, and having to choose family over career. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have what it takes to win. A study by the Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA at the University of Liverpool, England used data spanning a 14-year period and determined women jockeys did just as well as their male counterparts when they were offered horses of similar quality.
So it’s only a matter of time before a female sits aboard a Kentucky Derby champion in the winner’s circle. Even better goes on to win the legendary Triple Crown.
