Joddie Fortner

Joddie has been riding since 1979 and is still going strong today. We are very proud to have an interview with this veteran rider.

FOTH: The first question I have is where were you born and where did you grow up?

JF: I was born in Covington, Kentucky and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.

FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?

JF: I was pretty much a tomboy. I pretty much just stayed at the farm and work. As I got older I got a job at my elementary school working in an office for the business course that I was in. I also worked at Burger Chef when they had those.

FOTH: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

JF: I have one younger brother and one older brother. I also had an older brother who died a long time ago.

FOTH: Have any of them seen you ride and what do they think of you being a jockey?

JF: They have both seen my ride. My older brother just went and got his trainer's license and he keeps talking about riding me and stuff. My younger brother he is in the army and he is happy for me, but he worries about me getting hurt a lot. This past Tuesday (03/30/04) I broke my back at Beulah Park. A horse I was on broke both legs and a horse hit me from behind and broke 4 little bones in my back.

FOTH: What did you parents think when you told them you wanted to become a jockey?

JF: My dad was happy for me and mom was always asking me "are you sure you don't want to do something else" every time I would get hurt. I know she knows I like riding, but she doesn't like the part about me getting hurt.

FOTH: I know this was a long time ago but if you can remember, what event or events led to you becoming a jockey?

JF: I think it had to do with my older brother that died cause he always wanted to ride. He got a little too big to ride and Steve Cauthen and he was my idol besides my brother. I kinda feel since my brother died I ride for both of us and he is my guardian angel.

FOTH: What do you remember about you 1st race.

JF: My first race was for my dad. I ran 4th and she was a maiden filly. She was easy to ride and I did ride an Arabian race at some bush track, but my first actual race was at River Downs. I don't remember the horse's name. Oh and what you were talking about earlier about me wanting to ride. I have always wanted to ride since I was 7 years old. All I wanted to do was gallop my dad's first thoroughbred race horse he ever got. All I wanted for my 7th birthday was to gallop that horse. He did let me pony him around for my birthday.

FOTH: Tell us about your 1st win.

JF: That was on 'Hot Lead and Cold Feet" The race was going a mile and 70 yards. I had galloped the horse a few times. I was in the 2 hole and the horse liked to carry his head a lot. We broke in front and we were like in front by 9 lengths going along the backside and he was just kinda running off with me. He was real easy to ride and I think he paid $17.00 to win or something like that.

FOTH: What was it like going into the winner's circle for the first time? Was it all that and then some?

JF: It was really great.

FOTH: Did you get your treatment after the race and did you know it was coming?

JF: I think they were afraid to do too much too me. I got cold water and hard boiled eggs.

FOTH: Was this also at River Downs?

JF: Yes it was. It was in 1979 I believe.

FOTH: Was it tough being a female jockey back then as opposed to now where it is much easier? Did you ever get the “I'm not gonna ride a female jockey” type of crap?

JF: They say that still. Maybe not so much the trainer, but the owner says he doesn't want to ride a girl. That's the owners prerogative, he can ride whoever he or she wants to ride. Some of the people I ride for don't want to use anybody but a girl rider and some don't want to use anybody, but me. I don't take anything to heart. I got sexual harassment a lot a long time ago when I first started riding. I don't get that anymore. I don't take any slack from anybody. I try and be nice and even if they don't ride me I don't mind getting up on their horse if they need somebody to get up on it in the morning.

FOTH: Can you tell us some of your proudest moments as a jockey?

JF: One of them would be when I won my 1st win. At a track in Nebraska I won more races than any other girl did there. I got flowers in the winner's circle and I still hold that record now cause they closed that track down. The track was Ak-Sar-Ben and I got 34 wins there and the old record was 25. Last summer I rode in Ohio on a Ohio bred for Bill Napier in a stake at Thistledown and the horse was called "Catch My Cash" and that was the 1st stake race I ever won. I won a couple of other quarter horse stakes. Bill was so nice and when they gave him the crystal bowl in the winner's circle he gave it to me cause he knew I had never won a stake race and I got that sitting in my living room.

FOTH: What are some of the tracks you have rode at? Do you have a favorite track and any track or tracks that you would like to ride at one day?

JF: I have rode at River Downs, Turfway, Louisiana Downs, Oaklawn, Columbus, Lincoln, etc. My favorite track would be Oaklawn. Winning my 1st race there was a big thrill. I had been working the horse out in the mornings and when he won he paid $78.00. I liked Churchill and Keeneland a lot too. I have never rode on the grass at Kenneland, but would love too. I wouldn't mind riding down at Gulfstream one day.

FOTH: How do you keep yourself motivated after riding all this time?

JF: I think it helps that I have people behind me that want to see me do good. People still want to ride me and I still love riding and the horses. I have had people tell me I should be a trainer. I'm not ready to be a trainer yet. I still feel I have some more years of riding left in me. That is what has kept me going.

FOTH: How much longer would you like to ride for?

JF: I would think about 5 more years. I think I got 5 more years in me.  

FOTH: What are some injuries you have had and what was the worst one?

JF: I broke my neck last summer. I broke my C-4 in my neck. I had about 3 months off from that. That was probably the least painful I've had. I have broken both my shoulders and dislocated my right shoulder too. I broke my right ring finger and I broke my left foot, my left leg and my left ankle and I got a plate and 6 screws there. I broke my right calf on a quarter horse over at Hoosier Park and I kept on riding and just wrapped it up good. I kept riding and I had it x-rayed to make sure it didn't do further damage and it grew back together real good. It was painful the 1st week, but after that it wasn't too bad. I broke my pelvis in 3 places about 4 years ago. I broke my back the other day.

FOTH: If a young girl came up to you and wanted to be a jockey what would you tell her?

JF: I would tell her that she really has to want to do it. She should go to a farm and try to get with somebody good that will help her and teach her and put her on easy horses at first so she can get fit. It takes a long time to get fit. She should not just not think she can go out there on her own and be a jockey cause it won't work like that.

FOTH: Can you take us through what you do in a typical day?

JF: I go to the track in the morning and get on 7 or 10 horses and then I have a couple horses at the farm I work and gallop sometimes. I also clean stalls and stuff. Some days I might drive to Beulah Park if I have a mount there. I pretty much do things that involve work.

FOTH: Is there any things you like to do away from the track?

JF: I watch TV. I like to spend time with my dogs and cats. Sometimes I'll go to the movies.

FOTH: Is it at all tough for you to maintain your weight and to stay in riding shape?

JF: No, not really. If I am out for like 4-6 weeks it doesn't take me long to get back into riding shape. This winter I got really sick and it was a tough winter. I can get fit pretty quick.

FOTH: Is there any other female jockeys you like or admire?

JF: Greta Kuntzweiler (interview with her elsewhere) She is a really good rider and has a lot of class. The horse that broke my neck, he stepped in a hole at Kentucky Downs. Well, I was taking care of that horse for a couple weeks before I took him to Churchill Downs. Greta won on him at Churchill Downs for $30,000 and Dave Vance claimed him. I was crying in the winner's circle and Greta was crying too cause she knew how much I cared about him and had her get on him that morning so she would get to know him a little better and over here this winter at Turfway after she got her money situated she gave me half the purse money of that horse winning. I told Greta she saved me. I thought when I got back to riding that I would get back to where I was before and I wasn't galloping enough to make a living and nobody around here was as it was a tough winter. That money really saved my life and I didn't know what I was gonna do all winter.

FOTH: Any funny jockey stories to share?

JF: The other day Rhonda Collins came into the jock's room and asked for a River Downs condition book and Kathy, who is a trainer, but sometimes sits in there with us, and she said to Rhonda 'What do you want one, you can't ride" and Rhonda didn't know is she was serious or what. I turned to Kathy and said 'Well, you can't train" I think Rhonda knew later Kathy was only kidding.

FOTH: Joddie, Thanks for the interview. Any last words to wrap this up?

JF: Thanks very much for calling me and doing this interview. Good luck with the site too.

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