There are some feminine jockeys who’re at all times related to historic “firsts.” Diane Crump was the primary feminine jockey to trip in a sanctioned race and the primary feminine jockey to trip within the Kentucky Derby. Julie Krone led Colonial Affair to victory within the 1993 Belmont Stakes, changing into the primary feminine jockey to win a Triple Crown race. Jockey Rosie Napravnik turned the primary feminine jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks in 2012 with Imagine You Can.
However what concerning the Eclipse Prize? Who was the primary feminine rider to win the Eclipse Award?
Until you have been an everyday driver on the Florida circuit greater than 30 years in the past, the reply could also be complicated. And you may in all probability guess the reply by watching her calmly win races day in and day trip and run higher than anybody else on the circuit.
It was in 1992 that Rosemary Homester Jr. turned the primary feminine jockey to win the Eclipse Award for Excellent Apprentice Jockey.
This landmark honor marked the start of a vastly profitable jockeying profession from 1992 to 2015, throughout which she gained 2,784 races and kissed the circuit’s TV cameras after each race. All of the whereas, she has earned respect as a jockey with the fitting mixture of talent, expertise and willpower to develop into a prime rider on North America’s most well-known and aggressive circuit.
Homestar was born on July 5, 1972 in Hollywood, Florida, and was destined to develop into a jockey. Her father, James Homester, was a jockey with over 500 wins, and her mom, Rosemary Homester Sr., rode in 29 races from 1977 to 1981, scoring her first and solely win on Profitable Information at Calder Racecourse on January 7, 1978.
Impressed by his mom, Homestar started exercising and coaching horses as a young person.
In 1992 she started driving as an apprentice at Calder Racecourse and was very profitable. That yr, she gained 172 races and earned $1,769,063 whereas successful the driving title on the Tropical at Calder meet. Homestar acquired a lot nationwide consideration that it was voted an Eclipse Award winner.
She spent her first summer time as an apprentice at Monmouth Park and was the highest apprentice rider for her first two years on the Jersey Shore monitor.
After a sensational debut in 1992, Homestar gained greater than 100 races in 10 of the following 11 years. Along with all these common wins, she additionally gained over 100 stakes throughout her profession, 13 of which have been graded stakes.
A few of these black-type victories embrace the 2002 Grade 2 Davonadale, ridden by Brookski, the 2002 Grade 2 La Prevoyante, ridden by New Economic system, and the 2009 Grade 2 William L. McKnight, ridden by Cloudy’s Knight.
She led all feminine jockeys in wins from 2000 to 2001, and in 2001 turned the one feminine jockey to win a driving title at Hialeah Park.
Homestar reached the head of the game in 2003 when he was given the mount within the Kentucky Derby at Spa Blitz. Spavritz completed thirteenth behind Humorous Cide, however Homestar loved the glory of changing into solely the fifth girl to trip Rose Race (Rosie Napravnik turned the sixth in 2011).
In 2011, Homestar introduced her being pregnant and put her profession on maintain to provide beginning to her daughter Victoria Rose on the age of 39.
She returned in 2012 and had her finest yr, successful 125 races and incomes $3,280,647 in prize cash.
Homestar slowed down for the following few years, retiring in 2015. Nonetheless, earlier than the curtain got here down, she recorded her final major-money win with a win within the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes out of the Betty sired at Oaklawn Park.
Her profession ended on September 26, 2015, when she completed second within the eighth race at Arlington Park driving a spark equipment. This was an ironic finish to a superb profession for a girl who deserves to be remembered as a historic first.
Observe: This story was initially revealed and up to date in February 2018.
Attention-grabbing information about Rosemary Homester Jr.
- She took the title Rosemary Homester Jr. to keep away from confusion together with her mom, who was a jockey and had the identical first and center names.
- In 2001, she turned the primary girl to win the Clasico del Caribe.
- Her different stakes wins embrace Princess Rooney, Calder Derby, My Charmer, Kentucky Cup Turf and Florida Oaks.
- In 2003 she acquired the Babe Didrikson Zacharias Award.
- In 2005, Emma Jayne Wilson joined Homestar because the second girl to win the Eclipse Award for High Apprentice Rider.
