Violet Virginia "Pinkie" Smith was the first licensed female jockey in the Pacific Northwest and the sixth woman to be licensed as a jockey in the United States.

History

Smith grew up in Auburn, Washington.[1] Smith rode horses from the time she was a child. According to her mother, Smith was elated when she learned that "Penny Ann Early was going to break into the previously all-male occupation of riding."[1] In 1969, Smith became the first female jockey to be licensed in the Northwest and the sixth woman in the country to obtain a jockey's license.[2] She obtained an apprentice license at the Portland Meadows race track on April 22, 1969.[3]

She was the "top girl rider" at the Pitt Park Meet in 1972.[4] In 1983, Smith won the Arizona Breeders' Derby riding Arizona Brave.[2] With over 6,000 starts and more than 600 wins, she last rode races in 1988.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Brown, Bruce (30 August 1969). "Gal Jockey's Mother Not Fearful for Her Safety in Dangerous Sport". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Jockey: A Look at Past and Present Female Jockeys in Arizona". Arizona Thoroughbred. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gets Jockey License". Palm Beach Post. UPI. April 23, 1969. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Fink, David (3 November 1978). "Waterford Sets 2nd Girl Race". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Jockey profile for Violet Smith". Equibase. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
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