At the track, on the air and behind the scenes, women make the Kentucky Derby happen
Just 17 women have trained a horse that ran in one of the first 151 renditions of the Kentucky Derby. Far more have a hand in making the opening jewel of the Triple Crown happen. As Cherie DeVaux looks to become the first woman to train a Derby winner, she is surrounded at Churchill Downs by hundreds of influential women at the track, on the air and behind the scenes on the first Saturday in May.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Just 17 women have trained a horse that ran in one of the first 151 renditions of the Kentucky Derby . Only six women have ridden in the race.
Far more have a hand in making the opening jewel of the Triple Crown happen. As Cherie DeVaux looks to become the first woman to train a Derby winner, she is surrounded at Churchill Downs by hundreds of influential women at the track, on the air and behind the scenes on the first Saturday in May. “I often hear about women being involved with a male-dominated sport, but for me it feels like it’s my sport,” jockey-turned-NBC broadcaster Donna Brothers said.
“Women are an integral part of it. You see a lot of exercise riders out there who are women, a lot of female grooms, hotwalkers. Unfortunately, you still don’t see a lot of women in the top names — the top jockeys and the top trainers — but I think we’re getting there.
” Brothers is joined on NBC's broadcast by Britney Eurton, who has been in horse racing her entire life as the daughter of trainer Peter Eurton. Lindsay Schanzer four years ago became the first woman to produce the Kentucky Derby, and the 152th running will be her fifth in charge. "It’s not just a male-dominated sport but also a male-dominated industry, sports TV, so I feel great pride," said Schanzer, who is one of more than 30 women involved in the production, operation and marketing of the race for NBC Sports.