sports
January 3, 2026
Diane Crump, famed jockey and the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby, dies at 77
Diane Crump, who in 1969 became the first woman to ride professionally in a horse race and a year later became the first female jockey in the Kentucky Derby, has died. She was 77.
TL;DR
- Diane Crump died at age 77 after being diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer.
- She was the first woman to ride professionally in a horse race (1969) and the first female jockey in the Kentucky Derby (1970).
- Crump won 228 races during her career, which ended in 1998.
- She faced significant resistance, including boycotts from male jockeys, when she began her career.
- After retiring, Crump settled in Virginia, started a horse business, and volunteered with therapy dogs.
- Her mottos, 'Kindness' and 'Compassion', were tattooed on her forearms.
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