Julie Krone escapes retirement to yet again steal the show at St. Leger, Doncaster
To add charm and glitter to an already unparalleled record maintaining career, Julie Krone stepped out of retirement for participation in the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster on Wednesday.
She won the Stakes onboard Invincible Hero, the 4-1 favourite, by three and a half lengths.
The most successful female jockey of all time just posted her 3, 704 victories in the United States and to take the already amazing winning figure to 3, 705, she turned down the opportunity to star in reality TV show Survivor. She flew down from California
with her family for the Leger.
Being back in a saddle was a next to nature experience for her which she cherished immensely and gave the ride a little more than due credit for the victory as according to her, she herself did not put the actual 100% into the race herself.
An almost nerve breaking challenge for Julie Krone came from Last year’s winner, Charlie Swan who was riding Skyfire. He stood second this time and George Duffield made it to the third position in the race.
"I was well beaten, I think," admitted Swan. "It was great race though and great fun”.
Finishing just down the field, Steve Smith-Eccles commented:
“I’ve learned something today. When you retire, stay retired”.
This was Julie Krone’s second racing experience in Britain, earlier she had won three from five rides at a Redcar meeting in 1992 and it is almost as if she struck back to finish what she had started previously. The magnitude of this victory is not really
compatible with what she achieved in 1993.
She won the Belmont on Colonial Affair in 1993, becoming the first and so far the only woman to win a US Triple Crown race. Besides glorifying her already magnificent record, she was excited to become an active part to help raise money for the two causes
associated with the race.
The causes she was so delighted about were the Injured Jockey’s Fund rehabilitation centre in Malton and the Northern Racing College. She said:
“I’ve fallen in love with the Northern Racing College where I’ve been based – there’s nothing like that in America apart from Chris McCarron’s jockeys’ school”.
Many have welcomed her back but then there are some who consider her as a threat for their own careers so the next races will now reveal the future course.
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