Cindy Noll
I have seen Cindy Noll ride on TV at Oaklawn Park, Prairie Meadows, and just the other night at Hoosier Park. When Kim Stover (also interviewed on our page) said she could put me in contact with Cindy Noll I was very excited. After a few emails back and forth here is the interview I did with Cindy.
Cindy Noll at Hoosier Park
Chris: Where were you born and where did you grow up? Any brothers or sisters?
Cindy: I was born in Sterling, Illinois and raised in Muscatine, Iowa; I have three sisters and one brother, and I'm third one.
Chris: How would you describe your childhood? What did you want to be while growing up?
Cindy: I was raised by a single schoolteacher mom who managed to spoil us on a low income budget (don't know how she did it, she's amazing). I always thought I would be a veterinarian.
Chris: How did you get interested in horse racing? What did you think of the 1st time you saw a race horse?
Cindy: After getting my B.S. in Animal Science from Northeast Missouri State (now Truman State), I went to work on an Arabian farm near Dallas, Texas. The neighboring farm had thoroughbreds which quickly caught my interest, I learned a lot there, then went to Hialeah to gallop and see my first live races, was very exciting!
Chris: When did you know you wanted to be a jockey? Did anybody try to discourage you?
Cindy: I first wanted to be a jockey after they told me I wasn't too tall, that only weight mattered, and I've always been naturally light. Everyone encouraged me; family and friends.
Chris: Looking back now, did you think being a jockey would be as hard as it is? Any advice for somebody who wants to be one?
Cindy: I never dreamed it would be so hard. My advice would be to stay determined, there are lots of ups and downs in the business.
Chris: How old were you when you first got up on a horse? What was it like? How long till you got your jockey license?
Cindy: I rode backyard horses growing up that I saved my baby-sitting money for. I was an ancient 23 when I rode my first racehorse. I exercised horses for two years before taking out my apprentice license.
Chris: What do you remember about your first race? Remember what track it was at?
Cindy: My first race was ridden in Argentina, Hipodromo Argentino. I only beat a couple of horses.
Chris: How long was it till you got your first win? Did you get bombarded with eggs and soap after the race? What was it like going into the winner's circle the first time? What track was it at? Do you still have a picture of it?
Cindy: My first win was also in Argentina, at the small track LaPlata. Yes, I have a picture of it, but no egg and shoe polish treatment (I got that when I won my first race in the U.S. at Tampa Bay Downs). It's the greatest high in the world to win a race, I love it!
Chris: How good of a "bug" rider were you? Did you get a lot of wins? Was it hard getting mounts due to being a female?
Cindy: I was average, won about 62 races with the bug. I don't think being a female was any more difficult than just being an apprentice, you have lots to learn.
Chris: What are some of the tracks you have ridden at over the years? What is your favorite track and worst track? Do you have a favorite horse?
Cindy: I've ridden in Argentina, Florida, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Canada. My favorite track surface is Remington Park in Oklahoma, and the worst was probably Beulah Park in Ohio. My favorite horse to date is Sumthintotalkabout.
Chris: What was your best day as far as wins? How many wins do you have now?
Cindy: Four wins on a card is the best I've done. I think I have close to 1300 wins currently.
Chris: Are there any tracks you would like to ride at one day? How much longer do you think you will ride for? Any goals you still want to accomplish?
Cindy: I'd love to ride a race at DelMar, where the surf meets the turf. I will ride as long as I stay healthy and can still get to the winner’s circle first. Before I retire I would like to win a major stakes race, say $100K or better, I've never done that.
Chris: What are some of the injuries you have had and what was the worst?
Cindy: Most jockeys have had many injuries, including me. They've consisted of broken fingers, vertebrae, wrist, ribs, collarbone, and pelvis. My worst was probably my most recent (which of course you remember the most), on March 10th, 2001 at Oaklawn Park. I had four broken ribs, six fractures in my pelvis and two compoundly dislocated fingers, from a horse falling on me behind the starting gate. (I read that in the daily racing form-Chris) (Jim belongs to a message board based at Oaklawn and knew about Cindy’s accident the day it happened. He even sent a get-well card through the board but has no idea if she ever received it.)
Chris: What was the biggest race you ever rode and also the biggest you ever won?
Cindy: I've been in a couple of $150K races, finished second twice, but my biggest win has been a $78K on Iowa Classic night with Sumthintotalkabout, what a thrill that is!
Chris: Who do you feel are some of the best other female riders and do you feel you have a certain riding style?
Cindy: I admire Rosemary Homiester, Jr. and Mary Doser, but there are many excellent female riders. Everyone has her own riding style, including me.
Chris: Take us through a typical day for you.
Cindy: My typical day is get up at 5AM, eat breakfast, go to the track, work my horses for that morning, go to the gym and work out, come home and have lunch and rest before races, then go to the jocks room and ride my races, come home and play with the kids before bedtime, then bedtime.
Chris: Take us what goes through your mind during a race.
Cindy: Every race is different according to the horse you are on. But basically I break from the gates, see where I'm at, see where everyone else is at and ride to win. You have split seconds to make decisions like inside or outside, go now or wait, but you always have to be aware of everything around you and be able to read other riders, their horses and feel your own horse too.
Chris: What has been the toughest thing for you being a jockey in general? Have you thought many times about quitting?
Cindy: The toughest thing for me is going through dry spells, when you aren't winning, then of course quitting crosses your mind (until you win again).
Chris: Have you ever gotten into any shouting matches with any other jockeys before in the jocks room? Tell us a funny story.
Cindy: The only shouting match I can remember is with Cindy Darnell, we were highly competitive, and I had started to pull ahead of her in the standings, she would say things in the jocks room to intentionally irritate me and we eventually had words. We were once in the starting gate with a male rider between us and he innocently said I hope you two girls get along because I'm in the middle here, and she said "As a matter of fact we don't, so get tied on," I couldn't help laughing because he had no idea it was war between us!
Chris: Any last words you want to say or add? Thanks for the interview Cindy.
Cindy: I would just like to thank everyone who has ever given me a mount and helped me get this far, there are lots of you out there. Thank you, thank you!!