Posted on 05/05/2017 10:25:27 AM PDT by ml/nj
No women will ride in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. That isn't unusual. Old race result charts (which are like box scores) show that since 1970, when Diane Crump became the first woman to start the Derby, only five other women have passed through the starting gate -- alongside 301 men. Since 2004, only one woman, Rosie Napravnik, has started any Triple Crown race -- and Napravnik retired three years ago.
. . .
Racing needs to fix its gender problem, and not just because it's unfair.
. . .
If young, stereotypically-masculine strength is required to compete, somehow that didn't prevent Krone, who weighed 100 pounds "soaking wet," from winning the Belmont. It also didn't prevent 105-pound Bill Shoemaker from winning four Kentucky Derbies, the last at age 54.
The more likely culprit is persistent gender discrimination. The best evidence comes from a 1995 study which found that, though women won less prize money than men overall, that happened because women didn't get good horses in good races. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
As it turns out, females have already had a few successes in triple crown wins: From a story on Sport List of the Day:
Fillies are female horses usually under the age of four, but for the sake of horse racing, that limit is pushed up a year to five. Adult female horses are called “mares.”
Compared to the number of colts, very few fillies have raced in the Derby or the two Stakes, and even fewer have won. The number of filly entrants for each are noted below along with the winners.
Rachel Alexandra was the last filly to win any of the three races – she won the Preakness in 2009. In 2007, Rags to Riches won the Belmont.
It is incredibly dangerous.
Loosely astride a 1000 pound temperamental animal, encouraging it to accelerate in the middle of a pack of other stressed beasts has it's risks and takes more courage than most people imagine.
Every jock gets hurt at some point or another in their career, if not maimed, paralyzed or killed.
It is a hard cruel life.
On the other hand, you will see many women in the less dangerous sport of harness racing. Women seem to have more of a sense of self preservation.
Jockette lives matter...
Good solution. Makes at least as much sense as the article itself.
the 3 stooges that wrote this article (sorry moe, larry and curly) can put their money where their mouths are and buy some horses. They can then hire a trainer and tell the trainer to use only female jocks and get them on the Derby trail. If they win then other trainers will use those jockettes and we will see lots women riding in Derby.
You also see plenty of women in the eventing sports (show jumping, dressage, cross-country), and they often win against men too.
I was at Churchhill on Wednesday and spent some time in the paddock area. You couldn’t pay me enough to get on one of those beautiful beasts.
The saddle is nothing more than a piece of leather to attach the stirrups. Being a jockey is dangerous business.
If young, stereotypically-masculine strength is required to compete, somehow that didn't prevent Krone, who weighed 100 pounds "soaking wet," from winning the Belmont. It also didn't prevent 105-pound Bill Shoemaker from winning four Kentucky Derbies, the last at age 54.
Leftists doing back-flips to avoid stating the truth: Bill Shoemaker was probably stronger than any 105 pound woman on the planet.
While I’m thinking about it, isn’t “Jockey” a sexist term?
Jocks are traditional men.
Thus the base word of Jockey is sexist and should be changed to something gender neutral.
Perhaps Eunuch would be more fitting...
I’m sure this is being tested in women’s groups as I type...
The men who invest millions of dollars in race horses don’t have any incentive to find the best possible jockeys. Horse racing is just for show and there is no great financial reward for winning the Kentucky Derby. /S
1. The Jockey has to weigh less than the horse.
2. The Jockey should not look like a horse.
To their credit, female jockeys do not get a weight allowance. It is the only sport I know of where a level playing field is tolerated. (I.e. no races for female jockeys only.)
ML/NJ
Iron my shirts!
“The jockey is just along for the ride.”
I agree with everything you said. One little stumble and the jockey is most likely going to be on the ground hoping the ambulance is not far behind.
Hillary can’t be a jockey. PETA wouldn’t allow it.
“:^)
It screamed out for that didn’t it.
JLM will probably turn into another Soros front group.
Why so few women jockeys? I’m sure that could be looked into. Is it really due to sex discrimination?
And while we’re at it, I’m offended by that popular drink, the Mint JewLip...
Exactly!
What has Mint done for humanity anyway? Why not an Elm, Walnut, or Poison Oak leaf?
All this prejudice!
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