A Female Horse Racer Blazes New Trails for Women
By Gillian Granoff
When considering the
strides that women have made pioneering in male dominated
industries, being a female horse driver probably isn’t the first career that comes to mind. For Jacqueline
Ingrassia, the first female driver to win the Triple Crown
Race at the Breeders Cup, that’s exactly what it means.
Her victory put her in a small but elite group of female drivers
to earn the recognition. In a profession where being a woman
is at best rare, and not always an asset, Ingrassia, now 58,
became an unwitting trailblazer. “Early on in my career
women were just not accepted on the racetrack the way men were.
It has been a delicate balance of standing up for one’s
rights while maintaining dignity and class along the way.”
For Ms. Ingrassia being
a trailblazer was never a goal. In fact she characterizes
her career choice as simply “geographic.” Growing
up in England she lived next to harness horses, a rare breed
for England. It was her love for the horses that inspired her
unconventional career choice. She is careful to not characterize
her success as a woman in the industry as something extraordinary
or unusual and does not overstate the significance of her status
as a female horse driver in a male dominated industry. She
is aware of the sensitive nature of her choice. By not publicly calling attention to
the controversial nature of her position, she paves the way
for other women to be accepted in the field. “I always
tried to do what I wanted to. I am not out to prove a point.”
Despite her modesty
Ingrassia’s success is undeniable.
In addition to being inducted into to the Jersey Shore Sports
Hall of Fame, she became the second woman in harness racing
history to reach the 1,000 win Mark after driving South Wing
Pepper, a 4-year old trotter and underdog, to victory at the
Free Hold Raceway. In addition to her success as a driver,
Ms. Ingrassia is also a member and officer of the Standard
Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey and serves as
a Board member of the Us-Trotting Association Board of directors.
Although she does not
see herself as an example her success in the industry undoubtedly
serves as a role model to other women for the potential for
women to achieve in any industry. Her ability to navigate
the male dominated waters of the racing industry, and her
indomninatable spirit of competition come, she says, from
her mother, Joyce. She was a salesperson and a manager of a department store. She credits her mom with giving her a
strong work ethic and the ability to compete in a male dominated
business? “She was never really big on advice, but supported
everything I aspired to do.” Her mother’s inspiration
and unconditional support gave Ingrassia a confidence and sense
of independence that she has tried to pass down to others.
She hopes that others will follow the lessons her mother instilled
in her, to be independent, make you own decisions and to follow
your dreams.#
