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Top honor Krone blazes trail as first female in Hall of Fame
Posted: Tuesday May 02, 2000 11:57 PM
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Jockey Julie Krone became the first female elected to thoroughbred racing's hall of fame Tuesday, four days before Jenine Sahadi tries to become the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner. Krone is the only woman to win a Triple Crown race, riding Colonial Affair to victory in the 1993 Belmont Stakes. Sahadi will saddle The Deputy in Saturday's 126th running of the Derby. "That's the cake, the frosting, the sprinkles, the candles, everything," Krone said of her election. "I'm not much of a crier and I've been pretty stoic my whole career, especially being a girl in a man's sport, because I had to be that way," she said, "but I ended up crying in the airplane last night." Neil Drysdale, who trains Derby favorite Fusaichi Pegasus and another contender, War Chant, also was elected. A.P. Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Year trained by Drysdale, was elected in the contemporary male category for horses retired from racing for at least five years. Winning Colors, who became the third filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988, was elected in the contemporary female category. Needles, the 1956 Kentucky Derby champion, was elected in the horse of yesteryear category. Krone, 36, retired from riding last year after a 19-year career filled with injuries. She won 3,545 races and her mounts earned more than $81 million, both records for female riders. "When I look back on it, I don't know how I did it," said Krone, who choked up when she thanked her mother, Judi, who died of cancer last year. "I was 15 years old and my mom and I proceeded to jump in the truck and we drove to Churchill Downs because it's the logical place to become a jockey," she said. But track officials wouldn't let them on the grounds because Krone wasn't 16. "So my mom went to the grocery store and forged my birth certificate," she said. "My mom had a great sense of adventure and she didn't have many ceilings or walls or fences. She seemed to teach me that when somebody closed a door, there was always a window open somewhere." Drysdale, 52, has trained five champions since becoming a head trainer in 1974. The Englishman, whose stable is based in California, beat out fellow nominees Willard Proctor and Richard Mandella. "I feel like I just won a race by a nose. Proctor's not around to defend himself and Rich Mandella is much too young," Drysdale said. "It's not something when you're starting off as a trainer you even aspire to or think about." Drysdale's horses have earned more than $50 million. Last year, trainer D. Wayne Lukas was elected to the Hall of Fame and followed it up by winning the Derby with Charismatic. "I do hope history repeats itself," Drysdale said. The induction ceremony is Aug. 7 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
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