Any discussion of Patricia “P.J.” Cooksey’s trailblazing career as a jockey has to involve her boxing record, unsanctioned as those bouts were. “I had three fistfights,” she said proudly, “and I’m 3-0.” Cooksey was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and, with three older brothers to deal with, she learned to assert herself at an early age. “They didn’t go easy on me or give me any breaks,” she said.
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2026 Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles: Rebel Stakes Winner Class President
Welcome to Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, where we take a look each week at a recent winner of a race the Road to the Derby schedule which offers qualifying points to the 1 ¼-mile classic race May 2, 2026, at Churchill Downs.
Charlsie Cantey: A Pioneer in Horse Racing Media
Charlsie Cantey never sought to break ground as the first female racing broadcaster. She never fancied herself as the pioneering type. It just sort of happened. Cantey was among a handful of women exercising horses in 1975 when Frank Tours, then with the New York Racing Association, asked if she might be interested in appearing regularly on a television show that featured local racing on WOR. The more he asked, the more vehemently she rejected the notion.
Key Takeaways from an Important Kentucky Derby Prep Weekend
America’s Best Racing writer Patrick Reed presents four takeaways from an action-packed weekend highlighted by three 105-point Kentucky Derby prep races: the $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park; the $300,000
