Diane Crump's Pioneering Career Challenged Sexism in Horse Racing

In The Money Players' Podcast · January 05, 2026 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title: Players' Podcast: The Amazing Story of Diane Crump

TL;DR

Diane Crump's pioneering career as the first woman to ride in a pari-mutuel race and the Kentucky Derby challenged deeply ingrained sexism, demonstrating that women could compete professionally in a male-dominated sport.
The systemic resistance faced by female jockeys, including boycotts and overt sexism, highlights the significant cultural and institutional barriers that had to be overcome for women to gain acceptance.
Early female jockeys like Crump were driven by a profound love for horses and a desire to pursue their passion, rather than an explicit agenda for women's liberation.
The media played a dual role, both amplifying the novelty of female jockeys and sometimes perpetuating derogatory stereotypes, influencing public perception and the establishment's reaction.
Despite Crump's historic achievements, the path for subsequent female jockeys remained challenging, characterized by a gradual, "three steps forward, one step back" progression toward equal opportunity.
The enduring challenge for women in horse racing, even today, involves overcoming the perception of risk and the need for consistent opportunity to prove their capabilities against established male riders.

Deep Dive

Diane Crump’s pioneering career as a jockey fundamentally altered the landscape of professional horse racing, demonstrating that women could compete at the highest levels despite significant societal and industry resistance. Her achievements, particularly becoming the first woman to ride in a pari-mutuel race and later in the Kentucky Derby, served as a crucial catalyst for challenging gender-based barriers in sports, though the broader cultural shift towards equal opportunity remains an ongoing process.

Crump’s journey was fueled by an intense passion for horses, a common thread among early female jockeys who faced entrenched sexism. The established racing community often cited outdated notions of female frailty, hysteria, and the perceived unsuitability of the sport's rough environment as reasons to deny women licenses. This resistance manifested in overt discrimination, including boycotts by male jockeys and public derision, as documented in contemporary media. Crump, aware of other women like Kathy Kusner and Penny Ann Early who had attempted to break through and faced similar obstacles, navigated this challenging environment by building crucial relationships and demonstrating exceptional skill and perseverance. Her ability to secure a mount in the 1970 Kentucky Derby on Fathom, a horse owned by W.L. Lyons Brown who expressly sought to give a woman a chance on his final Derby entrant, represented a significant validation of her capabilities and a testament to those willing to challenge the status quo.

The second-order implications of Crump's success extend beyond her individual accolades. Her participation, alongside other pioneering female jockeys like Barbara Jo Rubin and Julie Krone, began to dismantle the perception of female jockeys as mere publicity stunts. By proving their competence and resilience on the track, these women forced a gradual reevaluation of gendered limitations in sports. However, the path to true equality remains arduous. The persistent lack of widespread opportunity for women to secure top mounts, particularly in high-stakes races like the Kentucky Derby, highlights ongoing systemic challenges. Factors such as the nine-month gestation period for childbirth, which interrupts a jockey’s career far longer than a male injury, and the inherent competitiveness for limited mounts, create continued hurdles. Despite these challenges, Crump’s legacy, amplified by her later work in animal therapy, underscores the profound impact of perseverance and the enduring power of challenging deeply ingrained societal norms.

Action Items

Audit historical media coverage: Analyze 5-10 articles from the 1960s-1970s regarding female jockeys to identify recurring justifications for exclusion and their impact on opportunity.
Create a framework for evaluating historical barriers: Define 3-5 categories of systemic obstacles (e.g., licensing, social expectations, media portrayal) faced by early female jockeys to inform current diversity initiatives.
Measure the impact of mentorship: Track the career progression of 3-5 contemporary female jockeys who have had female mentors to assess the correlation between mentorship and sustained opportunity.
Develop a diversity inclusion checklist: Draft a 10-point checklist for horse racing organizations to self-assess their current practices regarding gender equity in jockey opportunities.

Key Quotes

"I actually didn't grow up with horse racing; I didn't grow up around horses. I grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. So, the only racetrack I knew of was Mount Airy Dog Track. But after college, I studied art history. I love museums and I really wanted to work in a museum. I ended up getting a job about 14 years ago at the Kentucky Derby Museum."

Jessica Whitehead explains that her entry into the world of horse racing was not through a childhood passion for the sport, but rather through her academic interest in art history and a desire to work in a museum setting. This highlights how diverse paths can lead to deep engagement with specialized fields.

"Barry lifelong racing fan, lifelong Louisville resident--and Barry was giving this tour and I remember he started to sort of well up as he was talking on this tour about the experience of coming to this racetrack with his family, of coming to this racetrack with his friends, of the way that horse racing and this racetrack had intertwined with his personal life and the way that he understood his family relationships, the way he understood the way the city fit into the state and the country."

Whitehead recounts a profound moment during a museum tour where a lifelong racing fan became emotional discussing how horse racing was interwoven with his personal life and identity. This illustrates the deep cultural and emotional significance horse racing can hold for individuals and communities, extending beyond the sport itself.

"Diane of course was fundamentally fueled by her love of horses. That's sort of a connecting thread with many of these trailblazing women who were breaking in in the 1960s and early 1970s was that they were horse crazy. They were women who just loved horses and they wanted to ride horses and be around horses and work with horses as much as possible."

Whitehead identifies a core motivation for pioneering female jockeys like Diane Crump: an intense love for horses. This suggests that a fundamental passion for the animals themselves was a driving force behind their pursuit of careers in a male-dominated sport.

"Bill Hartack was putting out there was first of all that the sport of horse racing was rough, too rough for women. There was too much cursing for women. You know, they--men's chivalrous nature wouldn't allow them to let a woman win, and therefore they would be cheating their owners and their trainers. Women weren't strong enough either mentally or physically."

Whitehead details the overtly sexist arguments used to oppose women riding in professional horse races, as articulated by jockey Bill Hartack. This reveals the deeply ingrained societal prejudices and unfounded assumptions about women's capabilities that pioneers like Diane Crump had to overcome.

"We weren't trying to be, you know, women's liberation advocates or something like that. We weren't out there burning bras. We weren't out there trying to do some sort of major historical overthrow of the patriarchy. You know, this was--even though it ended up sort of being that way for in their legacies--they were saying, we just wanted to ride horses. We just wanted to do our dream. We wanted to do our job."

Whitehead shares the perspective of pioneering female jockeys, including Diane Crump, who emphasized their primary motivation was simply to pursue their passion and profession of riding horses. This clarifies that their actions, though historically significant for women's rights, stemmed from a personal desire to work in their chosen field.

"Ultimately, there didn't end up being a whole lot of resistance to her riding in that race, but it was certainly, as you say, an incredible feat. Think about, you know, only just over a year after her, Diane Crump becoming the first professional female jockey in history, just over a year riding in a marquee race like the Kentucky Derby. That's wild, incredible."

Whitehead highlights the remarkable speed with which Diane Crump progressed from becoming the first female professional jockey to riding in the prestigious Kentucky Derby. This underscores the rapid and significant impact Crump had on the sport, breaking barriers in an exceptionally short timeframe.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Black Stallion" by Walter Farley - Mentioned as inspiration for Diane Crump through murals painted by her mother.
"Diane Crump: A Biography" by Mark Schrager - Mentioned as a resource for learning more about Diane Crump's life.

Articles & Papers

"Life" magazine article (Source: Life) - Discussed as containing an op-ed by Bill Hartack and an article about Penny Ann Early, reflecting overt sexism regarding women riders.

People

Diane Crump - Trailblazing jockey, first woman to ride in a pari-mutuel race in the U.S. and the Kentucky Derby.
Jessica Whitehead - Senior Curator of Collections at the Kentucky Derby Museum, guest on the podcast.
Barry Northern - Tour guide at the Kentucky Derby Museum.
Wanda Davis - Earlier female jockey who rode against Johnny Longden in a match race in the 1950s.
Kathy Kusner - Woman who fought for a jockey license since 1967 and was granted one in 1968, but broke her leg before riding.
Penny Ann Early - Licensed jockey in Kentucky who was boycotted by male jockeys at Churchill Downs in 1968.
Bill Hartack - Jockey who wrote an op-ed in Life magazine arguing against women riding horses.
Barbara Joe Rubin - Female jockey who also faced boycotts and became the first woman to win a professional pari-mutuel race.
Patty Barton - Female jockey who was part of the first group of women breaking into professional racing.
Julie Krone - Highly successful female jockey, first woman to win the Belmont Stakes and potentially a riding title at a meet.
Rosie Napravnik - Female jockey, first to win the Kentucky Oaks twice and achieved the highest finish for a woman in the Kentucky Derby (fourth).
Don Divine - Former jockey and trainer, later husband and ex-husband of Diane Crump, supporter in Florida.
Mary Kime - Female trainer who was an important figure in Diane Crump's development and the first owner to offer her a horse to ride after being licensed.
Mary Hersh - Daughter of Max Hersh, trained the first horse ridden by a woman in the Kentucky Derby in 1937.
Johnny Longden - Jockey against whom Wanda Davis rode in a match race.
W.L. Lyons Brown - Owner of the horse Fathom, who gave Diane Crump the mount for the 1970 Kentucky Derby.
Mike Smith - Jockey mentioned as an example of a rider owners are more likely to choose.
John Velazquez - Jockey mentioned as an example of a rider owners are more likely to choose.
Patti Cooksey - Female jockey who reached the 1,000-race mark.
Julie Crown - Female jockey interviewed for oral history.
Patty Barton - Female jockey interviewed for oral history.
Donna Barton Brothers - Female jockey interviewed for oral history.
Sandy Schleifer - Female jockey riding out west.
Kim Weir - Suggested the podcast have a charity sponsor.

Organizations & Institutions

Kentucky Derby Museum - Institution where Jessica Whitehead works and displays artifacts related to women in horse racing.
In the Money Media Network - Producer of the podcast.
10 Strike Racing - Founding partner of the podcast.
Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga - Charity partner of the podcast.
Maryland Racing Commission - Commission Diane Crump had to sue to get her license.
Jockey Club - Organization that could sanction male jockeys for boycotting female riders.

Websites & Online Resources

themoneypodcast.com - Website where extra coverage of wagers and information about charity partners can be found.

Other Resources

Santa Anita meet - Horse racing event discussed in relation to weather and upcoming races.
Gulfstream Park - Racetrack continuing its pace, mentioned for coverage on the in the money media network.
Sunset Six - Wager discussed for participation and coverage.
Coast to Coast bet - Wager discussed for participation and coverage.
Late double late pick three - Bets mentioned for coverage on the in the money media network.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Legislation used as a civil rights defense by Diane Crump to obtain her license.
"Right to Ride" - Temporary exhibition at the Kentucky Derby Museum about women breaking into thoroughbred horse racing.
Pari-mutuel race - Type of horse race where betting occurs.
Kentucky Derby - Major horse race in the U.S.
Belmont Stakes - Major horse race in the U.S.
Kentucky Oaks - Major horse race in the U.S.
"Laugh In" - Television show that had skits lampooning female jockeys.
"Mad Men" - Television show mentioned for its portrayal of the female work experience and expectations.
Boots and Bows Powder Puff Races - Events where female jockeys gathered to ride.
Fair circuit and bush tracks - Types of racing circuits where Wanda Davis had win records.