With the 2023 Kentucky Derby upon us, we turn our attention to the horses, the odds, the trainers, the celebrities at the race, and the great outfits. But you know who often is overlooked? The jockeys — the heart and soul of horse racing.
You might think, riding a horse for a living is easy. Perhaps it is. But racing a horse is not, in fact, it’s one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Since 2000 and there have been over 20 jockey deaths on US soil. Tragic for sure, but they are injured horrifically almost every weekend. Concussions, compound, fractures, broken bones, it’s all part of being a jockey. Jockeys will typically race 4 to 5 times in one day. They ride multiple horses in multiple races at multiple distances. And guess what, there are crashes and white pilots and broken bones and stitches you can say what you want about jockeys but one thing I know is they are tough.
The other thing I know is that they are tiny! Yes, the average size jockey is somewhere around 52 and 110 to 115 pounds. Their maximum weight is 126 and they come in all shapes and sizes but they are all diminutive to give this context, my 10 year old daughter is 52 and 90 pounds. She would be perfect jockey size. It is rumored that jockey families serve Cornish game hen instead of turkey at Thanksgiving, but this is not been confirmed.
Regardless of size these guys are tough customers. They regularly battle, eating disorders, medical issues, injuries, etc. etc. etc. What they lack in height and weight, they make up with toughness and grit. A great horse with a mediocre jockey, won’t win. A mediocre horse with a great jockey had a chance. And magic happens when you pair a great horse, and a great jockey – that’s where Kentucky derby dreams are made.
So this weekend watch the horses, the trainers, the outfits, the hats, the celebrities… But don’t forget about the jockeys. They may be small, but they are probably the biggest part of horse racing.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
