Diane Nelson

Diane Nelson is one of the few female riders to have over 1000 wins and is currently the only female jockey riding regularly in New York. Here is a phone interview I recently did with Diane and here is what she said.

Diane Nelson with trainer (and former jockey) Leah Gyarmati

FOTH: Where were you born and where did you grow up?

DN: I was born in New York. Long Island.

FOTH: Do you have any brothers or sisters?

DN: I have 2 brothers and sisters.

FOTH: Are you close with your parents?

DN: Well my mom passed away. My dad is very positive about me being a jockey.

FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up?

DN: I wasn't sort of a tomboy as I grew up in the country. I spent a lot of time outdoors and in the dirt as my mother was very outdoors. I was sort of a tomboy in certain ways and also at a young age was involved with horses.

FOTH: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

DN: Well from the time I can even think about what I wanted to do all I could ever think about was being around horses. I think certain people when they are born, they are born with a certain desire. I wasn't someone who said I wanted to be a jockey, but I just had to be around horses. I just had to be around horses. From the time I could ask for anything it was horses, horses, horses. When I started going to school and my parents started asking me what I wanted to do and if I was gonna go to college I really had no desire to do anything that didn't involve horses.

FOTH: How did you become involved in actual horse racing?

DN: Well in the process of pursuing a job I was trying to find a good way to make money and I loved riding so I got a job galloping horses in Florida which paid really good. From there I ended up at the race track.

FOTH: When you started galloping/exercising horses did you know you wanted to be a jockey?

DN: When I was galloping and I was small and light and I really wasn't heavy people started saying "Oh you should be a jockey" in a joking way and I really never took it serious cause I thought I would get to heavy cause I'm fairly tall, I'm 5 foot 6 inches. So people would say things kidding around, but obviously I was light and the more I was breezing horses and getting along with horses, the more people started suggesting it. I really didn't think it would be possible for me, but I thought I would try it to see how it worked out and when I got the opportunity I loved it. The thrill of winning is just awesome.

FOTH: If you can remember, what did you think when you got up on a horse for the first time? Were you nervous at all?

DN: I think I was around 10 years old. I mean I fell off horses and they ran away, but I was never like "I'm gonna die"

FOTH: What stuff were you taught early as far as riding goes?

DN: Well, when I first started riding, the people I rode with were people who rode western. So I learned how to ride western and rodeo style. I really didn't learn how to ride race horses until later on when I started working on a breeder farm and I learned about thoroughbreds. From there I started breaking in young horses.

FOTH: What were some early people or jockeys that helped you out early on?

DN: Originally I got a lot of help from the jockeys that were down on the farm down in Ocala, Florida. I was breaking in 2 year olds and riding 2 year olds. There were a couple riders down there helping me out and older, retired jockeys that were there helped me out. When I started riding I rode in New England and there were a lot of girl riders there and they helped me out as well. There was no real one mentor that helped me out.

FOTH: Tell us about your first race and what you remember about it.

DN: I don't remember the horse’s name. I rode 2 races on my first day riding. I remember it was the winter and it was at Aqueduct. Dominic Depirio was a trainer there and he gave me a shot to get started. I remember the horses really had no chance to win, but they were just giving me a chance to learn. I remember driving to Aqueduct and thinking "Oh my God I am actually gonna ride a race" It was an unbelievable feeling.

FOTH: How long till you got your first win? Tell us what you remember about it?

DN: Well after the Aqueduct mounts I really didn't get a chance to ride anymore so I knew I had to go to a small track if I wanted to ride regularly. So I decided to go to Rockingham Park. I think the whole winter at Aqueduct I rode a total of 10 horses. I rode at Rockingham in the summer and I think my first win was in the fall. The horse's name was Mohammedan Queen and that was at Rockingham Park.

FOTH: Did you creamed with stuff after the race?

DN: I have it all on tape. It was a lot of fun. Eggs, ketchup, whipped cream. They really got me.

FOTH: Looking back now do you feel you were a good apprentice rider?

DN: When I first started out I thought, actually I knew I was horrible. I was terrible. The hardest thing about becoming a jockey and this goes for male or female and no matter how bad you want to do it and no matter how bad you want to do it and no matter how good you want to be, you can't practice. It's not like you can go out like baseball players and practice hitting and pitching. You can't go out and ride races like you are practicing. There is way too much money at stake and you can't just practice. You can breeze horses, but it is not the same as what goes on in a race. So no matter how bad you want to do it, your sort of forced to sit back and hope someone will give you a chance. Which makes it very, very hard. So no matter how good you want it get it's tough. I mean in the beginning I was terrible, I didn't know what I was doing and for months and months I didn't get to ride much. You need to get to ride a lot of races to get better.

FOTH: Do you think female jockeys are not given their due respect in the horse racing industry?

DN: Well, I think initially any rider, but females have a hard time getting started because some think we aren't strong enough. So you sort of have to prove yourself a little more. I think they are more inclined to give a young man a shot. But once you start you need to be able to prove you can do it.

FOTH: What is the biggest race you ever won and the biggest race you ever rode in?

DN: I have ridden in quite a few graded stake races. I have never won a Grade I races. I rode a couple Grade I races last summer. There are several $100,000 races that I have won that were very exciting.

FOTH: Do you have any goals you want to accomplish as a jockey? How much longer will you ride for?

DN: Well that is a question I never really been able to answer for as long as I will want to ride for. It will probably be until I can’t or I'm not doing well. As far as goals, my goal is to ride horses, to ride nice horses and ride them well.

FOTH: You not too long ago hit the 1,000 win mark. Not many female riders have accomplished that. How did you celebrate and how was it going into the winner's circle for the 1000 time? Was that at Aqueduct?

DN: It was at Aqueduct. It was the kinda thing where you know you are getting close and there is a lot of anticipation waiting for it to happen. It was a relief to finally get it over with. You really do feel good about yourself. I felt great that I accomplished it and to me it was a big relief cause I needed to concentrate more on riding and not just on wins.

FOTH: What sort of injuries have you had and what was the worst one?

DN: The worst injury was when I had the bug I fractured 2 vertebrae in a spill. It was pretty scary. I've had a broken collarbone, broken ribs, lots of bumps and bruises. When you break a bone after you have done it so much it's more aggravating than anything else.

FOTH: What are some tracks you have ridden at and is there any track you want to ride at, but have not yet?

DN: I pretty much have ridden everywhere on the east coast, but Gulfstream and Churchill Downs. Obviously it would be nice to go to California, but I'm not planning on that. (laughs) One track away from the east coast I rode at was Arlington Park. I am glad I rode at Hialeah, cause that probably isn't going to be around anymore. I was very excited to get a chance to ride at Keeneland. Also Atlantic City and Garden State Park, both of which are no more.

FOTH: You ride in New York which is a very tough place to ride. Why do you stay there when if you went to a smaller track and be a top 5 rider?

DN: I get asked that a lot. To me it is a simple answer. When I left New England I wanted to come to New York. New York is home and I started here. I feel now I want to ride nice horses and I really enjoy riding the horses I ride. I enjoy riding the best horses all summer and it's the best racing and it's home and coming to New York was one of my goals. Riding in New England was tough. It was tough riding like 9 races a day and they really are not the best horses, so that made it that much tougher. It is tougher to ride horses that aren't nice. So in some sense it is easier on me.

FOTH: What advice would you give to somebody who wants to be a jockey?

DN: Well first off I don’t think they should start off at a big track. I have seen a lot of girls come to NY when they are first starting out, and even then they can have their bug and they get so disenchanted because they don't get many mounts. The reason is here trainers have their choice of so many top jockeys to choose from. If a rider who is starting out goes to a small track, they will get a lot of opportunities to rise and like I said before, the more opportunities you get to ride, the better you will get. And then after a while, naturally you will want to move up. You just need to keep trying, keep pushing and really work hard. There is also going to be a lot of disappointments and a lot of people can't handle it. It's not that they get sacred, it's they can't stand the pressure of a race. The pressure of constantly being turned down. A lot of people can't put up with that.

FOTH: Take us through a typical day for you.

DN: Most race trackers get up pretty early. I don't have to get up that early in the winter because I usually don't do anything before 7am or 7:30am cause it is dark. So I get to the track and I have a couple of clients that I ride for regularly that I go see. I still get on horses regularly and gallop horses cause I like to know the horses that I am riding. So I usually get on a few horses in the morning. I don't ride every day cause I don't much anymore. On the days that I am riding, I go to the jock's room. There is a lot of hanging around and waiting for the races that I ride if I am riding. If I am not riding I have some show horses that I ride and train, They are usually ex race horses that I try and find homes for or train and sell. On my days off I'm having fun riding. (laughs)

FOTH: How do you stay motivated cause you have been riding a long time? Have you ever had times when you thought about hanging up your boots?

DN: Well the things that make you want to quit like I said before is disappointment and constantly being turned down, that really, really gets to you and you don't want to ride anymore. When your not riding good horses it gets to the point when you get depressed. I have been there before where you are like "I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be this down about myself" So actually when I wasn't riding much and I was riding show horses, which I really love show horses that really helped me because I was doing something I love. And when I went back to the track my attitude was better. Like I said the constant disappointment is very hard, so you have to find some other outlet to totally make yourself happy and I found that in riding and training show horses.

FOTH: Do you feel you have a certain riding style and do you think you’re still improving as a jockey?

DN: Well I think you can always improve. I don’t even think it's so much improving. I think I am a much different rider from say 5 or 10 years ago. The thing is you go through a lot of different stages in your life and you obviously take that into your riding. I think riding with confidence is the most important thing. And unless your confident in yourself and the people you are riding for, you are not going to be confident up on the horse and you have to feel the people that you are riding for are happy with you and I feel that I am better in that way.

FOTH: Do you think you have a shot of getting into the horse racing Hall of Fame?

DN: Actually, no. (laughs) I don't mean to sound unconfident, but no I really believe that there are a lot of special people out there and I don't feel I am one of them.

FOTH: There was recently a book released on female riders. There was a chapter devoted to you. What is your opinion on the book and your chapter?

DN: Well the problem with reading it, I mean when it first came out and the problem with being interviewed for it as years go on, everything changes and your attitude changes and I mean Julie Krone rode here and I know she doesn't feel that way now. (meaning quotes in the book-Chris) The things you say at one time in your life aren't necessarily the thoughts and feelings you have 5 years down the road. But at the time I was very happy with it and at that point of my life and I think she did a really good job and I think it was a really great book the way she did it.

FOTH: Do you have a favorite horse or track you rode at?

DN: Favorite track would be Saratoga or any of the NY tracks. Favorite horses would be: Boom Towner, Lottsa Talc, Top Official, It's Acedemic and an old claimer called Turning For Home.

FOTH: What did you parents think of you being a jockey and have they ever seen you ride?

DN: They have both seen me ride and I think they are very proud of me and excited about what I do.

FOTH: Diane thanks for a great and interesting interview. Any last words you want to say to wrap this up?

DN: I hope and wish there were more young girls that would try to become jockeys. For me being in NY by myself I wish there were more girls here, but I know it is tough for them. Thanks for the interview and best of luck with the website.

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