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

The Kentucky Derby has remained a male-dominated competition since it began in 1875.

The Kentucky Derby is a male-dominated competition. The 148th annual Kentucky derby will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Diane Crump was born on May 18, 1948 in Milford, Connecticut. She is the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby as a jockey. Diane also rode in a pari-mutuel race in Florida on February 7, 1969.

Diane Crump was the first female jockey to compete in a pari-mutuel race. She won her first competition two weeks later. Diane applied for her license in 1968 after the Maryland Racing Commission denied rights based on gender. By 1970, Diane had become the the first woman to participate in the Kentucky Derby.

Diane Crump was crushed underneath her horse in 1989. She suffered a broken leg, ankle, and ribs. Diane retired from racing in 1999. Today she owns an equine sales business and lives in Virginia.