Jerri Nichols
We have both watched Jerri Nichols ride at various tracks via the world of simulcasting. Jim even had the opportunity to watch her ride in person, during a visit to Evangeline Downs in Louisiana. When our great friend and fellow jockey Kim Stover put us in contact with Jerri we hooked up with her via email for this interesting chat. We hope to add some pictures to this interview as well.
FOTH: Where were you born and where did you grow up?
JN: I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and I grew up all over.
FOTH: Any brothers or sisters? Were you close with your parents?
JN: I have one brother, three sisters, three stepsisters, and four stepbrothers.
FOTH: What did you want to be while you were growing up? Did you have many close friends when you were growing up?
JN: Always wanted to be a jockey, lots of friends, they are still here!
FOTH: How did you get involved in horse racing? Did you always know you wanted to be a jockey?
JN: Mother trained quarter horses and I always wanted to ride.
FOTH: Did you gallop/exersise horses much before becoming a jockey? What stuff were you taught as far as riding goes? Do you feel you have a certain riding style?
JN: I started riding at the bushes when I was 9, I consider myself a front end rider, I love to be on the lead, I guess I get that from the quarter horses, I learned what not to do.
FOTH: What events led you to becoming a jockey? Looking back do you think becoming a jockey was harder or easier than you thought?
JN: My mother trained quarter horses so I just fell into it, I thought it would be easy but was I wrong, I really had to work for it.
FOTH: Tell us what you remember about your first race.
JN: It was at Delta Downs, John Gelner trained it, and I did not finish too good or I would have remembered its name.
FOTH: How long did it take to get your first win? How excited were you to get your first win? Did you get showered with various objects after you won?
JN: It took about 2 weeks to win, I was so excited I wasn't sure what happened, if it wasn't for Kim Stover I may have gotten a little more of an initiation than I wanted.
FOTH: Do you feel you were a good apprentice rider?
JN: Decent, but I still had a lot to learn, thank god I rode for some good trainers.
FOTH: What are some of the tracks you have ridden at and any you would like to ride one day?
JN: Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Hoosier Park, Mountaineer Park, Fairgrounds, Delta Downs, Evangeline Downs, Louisiana Downs, Albuquerque Downs, Beulah Park, Sam Houston, Lone Star, Trinity Meadows , Thistledown, Birmingham, AL. Would like to ride at Keenland someday.
FOTH: How long have you been riding for and how many wins do you have? How much longer do you want to ride for?
JN: I have been riding 13 years, I have over 1,000 wins, and would like to ride as long as possible.
FOTH: Take us through a day in the life of Jerri Nichols.
JN: It depends on what track I am at. I get up and get my kids off to school, then to the track, my agent has all of my horses lined up for me. I stay until the track closes, then run errands, clean house, wait for the kids to come home, check homework, then get ready to race that night.
FOTH: What is the biggest race you ever won and biggest race you ever rode in?
JN: The biggest race I won was a thoroughbred race, the Lafayette Futuriy at Evangeline Downs. The biggest race I rode in was the old south Futurity at Delta Downs, it was a quarter horse race and I ran 3rd.
FOTH: What are some unfortunate injuries that you have had and what was the worst one?
JN: A fractured vertebrae from the post parade, and I broke my knee in the post parade. I guess I should just meet my horses at the gates, lol. My worst wreck was at Evangeline, turning down the backside I clipped heels and went down, I had a concussion, dislocated shoulder, tore the ligaments in my ankle.
FOTH: Have you ever been taken off a horse cause your a female? Do you think female riders do not get enough respect in the sport and what do you think could be changed to change that?
JN: Yes, I have been taken off because of my sex, we are getting better horses now and with the likes of Patty Cooksey making the way for us it has gotten better.
FOTH: What are some other female riders you like?
JN: Julie Krone, Donna Barton, Cindy Noll, Paula Bacon, Colleen Tarzan, Rhonda Collins, Dana Bell, Kris Prather, Greta Kuntzweiler, Kim Stover, Patty Cooksey, Chandra Rennie, and Mary Doser.
FOTH: What would you like to be known for when you hang up your riding boots? Any plans on what you would like to do when you retire?
JN: I want people to know me as an aggressive rider, and I am not looking that far ahead as far as retiring.
FOTH: Has there ever been a favorite horse you ever rode? Take us what it is like going through a race.
JN: There have been a few horses I really liked, but Songs Delta Native would be on top. The rush from a race is like no other feeling, the gate opening, guiding a horse through traffic, and getting to the finish line first, nothing like it.
FOTH: Are there any goals you still want to accomplish? Do you ride in many quarter horse races and what do you do to prepare for a race?
JN: I really would like to be leading rider somewhere, instead of 2nd. I don't ride too many quarter horses any more, I stay too busy with thoroughbreds. Before a race I read the form, stretch, and then ride like hell.
FOTH: Ever have any problems with weight? Any funny jockey stories to tell?
JN: Being 5' and about a quarter of an inch, I don't have a weight problem. As far as funny stories go, when I had the bug I was riding a match race at Toomey Downs, a dog ran across the track, my horse hit him, and we cut some flips. It was not funny at the time , but now it is.
FOTH: Thanks for doing this interview for the website. Any last words and wish you many more years of riding.
JN: Thank you for the opportunity to do this, it was fun. Thanks again.