Who was the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby?

THE KENTUCKY Derby first began in 1875 and to this day has remained a male-dominated competition.

The 148th annual Kentucky Derby began on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

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Who was the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby?

Born on May 18, 1948, Diane Crump was the first woman to jockey in the Kentucky Derby.

A native of Milford, Connecticut, Diane was raised with a passion for horses, although she did not have access to horses as a child.

Her family later moved to Florida and Diane started horseback riding at the age of 13.

In addition to being the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby, she is the first woman to jockey in a pari-mutuel race in the United States.

Pari-mutuel racing involves a specific betting process where all bets involved are placed together, taxes are deducted and odds are calculated by sharing the pool with all winners.

The race took place at the Hialeah Park race track in Florida; she rode a horse named Bridle n Bit.

Diane required a police escort to enter the competition as fans were so upset at the idea of ​​a woman entering a professional race.

This monumental event took place on February 7, 1969.

When did Diane Crump drive in the Kentucky Derby?

Just two weeks after Diane Crump made history as the first professional jockey to compete in a pari-mutuel race, Diane Crump won her first competition.

She applied for her license in 1968 after the first licensed jockey – Kathryn Kusner – sued the Maryland Racing Commission for denial of rights based on sex.

By 1970, Diane was the first woman to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

She won her first race of the day and finished 15th overall.

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Where is Diane Crump today?

In 1989, Diane Crump was crushed under her horse and suffered a broken leg, ankle and rib.

After leaving the hospital, she was told she would never be able to ride again.

Diane officially retired from racing in 1999.

She began working as a coach in the late 1980s.

Diane owns a horse sales business and lives in Virginia, where she continues to associate with horses.