Diane Crump became the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby when she competed on Fathom in 1970.
Crump’s appearance at Churchill Downs was a landmark in American racing. She finished 15th aboard Fathom in a field of 17, but the significance of her participation extended far beyond the result: women were only beginning to gain regular opportunities as professional jockeys in major American races.
She had already broken ground in 1969 by becoming the first female jockey to ride in a race at Hialeah Park. Before the 1970 Derby, she initially faced a hostile atmosphere and rode to the paddock accompanied by police protection, according to accounts of the event.
The first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby was not the first woman to win a U.S. Triple Crown race. That later milestone belonged to Julie Krone, who won the 1993 Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair. Crump’s Derby ride remains a separate historic first.