When we think about horse racing’s greatest or most famous jockeys of all time, we’re far more likely to think of a male jockey than a female jockey—despite the stereotype that girls like horses more than boys do. However, male jockeys have been around since the early days of formal horse racing events, while female jockeys didn’t enter the racing industry until the 1960s. Naturally, this has led to a disparity in the number of male and female jockeys throughout history.
Since women have been allowed to become jockeys, they’ve made some incredible accomplishments and have helped pave the way for future generations of women and girls. Just as we can find lists of legendary male jockeys, the best restaurants in London, or the top 20 online casinos reviewed in the UK, here we’ll recognise the greatest female jockeys horse racing has seen since the 1960s.
1. Julie Krone
Julie Krone, an American-born jockey, set herself apart in horse racing as the first and, in some instances, the only female jockey to reach significant racing milestones. Krone was the first woman to win one of the Triple Crown races, a feat no other female jockey has achieved since. In 2000, she became the first female jockey to be inducted into the US National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Throughout her career, Krone achieved over 3,700 racing wins and earned several awards, including ESPN’s Professional Female Athlete of the Year in 1993 and Women’s Sports Foundation’s Wilma Rudolph Courage Award in 2004. Krone was one of the first female jockeys to be recognised as a top-tier rider for her skill.
2. Chantal Sutherland
Chantal Sutherland was born in Canada and began her jockey career when she was 24. Right from her debut race, which she won, she garnered significant attention, as this is a feat rarely accomplished by any jockey. She has continued to achieve major wins since, and her main claims to fame include being the first woman to win the Santa Anita Handicap in 2011 and the Hollywood Gold Cup in 2012. She has also been a reality TV personality on Jockeys on Animal Planet and a model for the Del Mar racetrack, making her a widely recognised female jockey. Her jockey career is ongoing, and since her debut race in 2000, she has had over 1,200 wins.
3. Michelle Payne
Born into a horse racing family in Australia, Michelle Payne has been surrounded by the thrill of the racing world her entire life. It also makes it unsurprising that her jockey career began at the young age of 15. In 2015, she became the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, defying the 100-1 odds placed on her and making history. Payne suffered several serious and life-threatening falls throughout her career, which caused her to spend significant time recovering rather than racing. But she never failed to impress spectators with each return to the tracks. Payne is now retired from being a jockey, though her story and feats garnered much attention, inspiring the 2019 movie Ride Like a Girl.
4. Rosie Napravnik
Rosie Napravnik, born in the United States, has had an impressive racing career with numerous remarkable wins and near wins, making her one of the highest-earning female jockeys to date. She has two major feats that stand out from the rest, including being the first woman jockey to race in all three Triple Crown races and the first to win the Kentucky Oaks. Although she did not win any Triple Crown races, she placed in the top five in two of them, earning fifth place at the Kentucky Derby and third at the Preakness Stakes. Napravnik is now retired from racing and boasts more than 1,800 career wins.
5. Hayley Turner
English jockey Hayley Turner is considered one of the most accomplished female jockeys in Europe for the sheer number of races she’s participated in and for being one of the first to make a full-time career as a jockey in the UK. However, Turner’s career had a rough start. Her horse broke down mid-race and had to be euthanised, but despite this unfortunate debut, she has gone on to win over 1,000 races and has inspired many women and girls to join the industry. In 2018, when she unexpectedly returned to racing after retiring in 2015, she was the first female jockey to ride over 100 flat race winners in a single year.
6. Diane Crump
Significant accomplishments aren’t just reserved for major wins; they also come from being early pioneers of a sport, which is exactly what American female jockey Diane Crump was. Crump was the first female jockey to race in the United States, her debut race requiring a police escort to keep her safe from disgruntled spectators opposed to her presence on the track. Crump’s arrival was met with cries for her ‘to return to the kitchen’ and fears that her presence would lead to the downfall of the sport. She didn’t win this first race, but her drive and skill eventually won over spectators, earning her acceptance into the sport.
In addition to being the first female jockey to race, she was also the first to participate in the Kentucky Derby. Her career may have only included 235 wins, but her trailblazing efforts have led to thousands of wins for her fellow female jockeys—easily making her one of the best female jockeys of all time.
Paving the Way
Since women made their racing debuts in the 1960s, they have achieved impressive feats that stand out in the sport, not just as women but as jockeys in general. These six women have, and continue to, pave the way for future women and girls to join and thrive in a male-dominated sport, helping push for equality in all areas of life.
