Julieann Louise Krone (born July 24, 1963) is a retired Americanjockey. In 1993, she became the first (and as of June 8, 2024 only[2]) female jockey to win aTriple Crown race when she captured theBelmont Stakes aboardColonial Affair. In 2000, she became the first woman inducted into theNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, and in 2003 became the first female jockey to win aBreeders' Cup race. She has also been honored by induction into theNational Women's Hall of Fame,Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, andCowgirl Hall of Fame.
Krone was born inBenton Harbor, Michigan. After spending her childhood as an accomplishedshow horse rider at competitions in western Michigan, Krone was inspired by the career ofSteve Cauthen to become a professional Thoroughbred jockey. She made her debut as a jockey on January 30, 1981, atTampa Bay Downs in Florida, on a horse named Tiny Star. She won her first race on February 12, 1981, also at Tampa Bay Downs, aboard Lord Farkle. Within a few years, her success made her a well-known racing personality. Krone was the only woman to win riding championships atBelmont Park,Gulfstream Park,Monmouth Park,The Meadowlands andAtlantic City Race Course. She would go on to make appearances onThe Late Show with David Letterman,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and appear on the cover ofSports Illustrated for the issue of May 22, 1989, one of only eight jockeys so recognized (the others areWillie Shoemaker,Bill Hartack,Eddie Arcaro,Johnny Longden,John Sellers, Robyn Smith andSteve Cauthen). In 1993 she received an ESPY Award as Female Athlete of the Year.
Krone retired for the first time on April 18, 1999, with a three-winner day atLone Star Park, near Dallas. She embarked upon a broadcasting career in horse racing. From 1999–2000 she worked as an analyst forTVG Network, then worked as a paddock analyst forHollywood Park from 1999–2002. She came out of retirement atSanta Anita Park in November 2002.[3] After a good start to the 2003 season, she fractured two bones in her lower back and spent the next four months recovering. She returned to lead the 2003 Del Mar jockeys in purse earnings, then went on to become the first woman jockey to win aBreeders' Cup race when she rodeHalfbridled to victory in the 2003Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. On December 12, 2003, just weeks after her Breeders' Cup win, she broke several ribs and suffered severe muscle tears in a fall atHollywood Park Racetrack. Though not fully recovered from her injuries, Krone attempted to come back on February 14, 2004, at Santa Anita Park but failed to win in three races.[4] She did not ride again; on July 8 of that year, she made a statement in which she did not officially retire, but strongly hinted that she would never race again.[4]
Because of her success in the face of severe injuries sustained while racing, Krone was named byUSA Today as one of the 10 Toughest Athletes and was honored with the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award by the Women's Sports Foundation. Krone also had been inducted into theCowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, and is a member of theMichigan Sports Hall of Fame. In October 2013 she was inducted into theNational Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, and in 2014 she was inducted into theMichigan Women's Hall of Fame.[5] In 2018 a bronze statue of her was given to theNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[6]
In 2001 Krone married Jay Hovdey, executive columnist for theDaily Racing Form. She gave birth to their daughter Lorelei Judith Krone in 2005.[7] (Hovdey also has a son, Ed, from his previous marriage.)[8] Her mother, Judi Krone, was an accomplished equestrian who died a few days before Christmas of 1999.
Since her second retirement from racing, Krone has focused on parenting and worked as a racing broadcaster, motivational speaker, and an instructor ofnatural horsemanship. Krone rode in one sanctioned betting race at Santa Anita Park on October 18, 2008, competing against seven other retired Hall of Fame jockeys:Gary Stevens,Pat Day,Chris McCarron,Jerry Bailey,Ángel Cordero,Jacinto Vásquez andSandy Hawley. Krone also rode to victory on Invincible Hero in the Leger Legends for famous retired European jockeys at the St Leger Festival,Doncaster Racecourse (UK), on September 7, 2011.[9]
Krone's autobiography,Riding for My Life, was published in 1995.[10]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
