Diane Crump, Trailblazing First Female Jockey in Kentucky Derby, Dies at 77
Diane Crump, the first woman to ride in the Kentucky Derby as a jockey, died at 77 in Winchester, Virginia, after being diagnosed in October with an aggressive brain cancer. She became the first woman to ride professionally in a U.S. horse race in 1969, with her historic ride at Hialeah Park occurring on February 7, 1969. The following year, in 1970, Crump became the first female jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
Over a 30-year career, Crump won 228 races, with her last race taking place in 1998 shortly before her 50th birthday. Since her groundbreaking Kentucky Derby appearance, only four other women have competed in the race. Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson praised Crump as an iconic trailblazer who opened doors for generations of female jockeys.
After retiring from racing, Crump lived in Virginia where she ran a business helping people buy and sell horses. She also spent time visiting patients with therapy dachshunds. Crump will be cremated, and her ashes will be interred beside her parents at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Front Royal, Virginia.
