Local female jockey hopes to create history at a Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, KY.,(WTVQ) — It’s the dream of a lifetime for jockeys, to ride in the prestigious Kentucky Derby.
But for one in particular, the battle is even tougher.

Dr. Ferrin Peterson always knew she loved working with horses and that she wanted to be a jockey.

“I always want to be a jockey,” says Dr. Peterson.

It’s a dream that has been in the making since she was a child.

“I don’t know where it came from, but probably reading books and writing my own horse as fast as I could on the trails,” she says.

For Ferrin Peterson, the chance to allow her to pursue it, presented itself while she was enrolled in veterinary school.

“I decided I could become a racetrack veterinarian. So during that pursued during my bachelor’s degree in vet school, I was getting as much opportunity as I could go into Kentucky and working with racehorses at the sales going to Saratoga in the summer working at the track going to Del Mar, and through that I started learning how to gallop horses on the track,” said Peterson.

After attending vet school, Peterson decided to shift her focus toward becoming a full-time jockey. She moved to the Southern California Race Circuit to follow her dream.

“I really want to give this a go, I want to be around top jockeys and top trainers and horses, and that’s how I’m going to build and grow the fastest,” she says recalling her move.

Peterson’s ultimate goal, like many jockeys, is to ride in the prestigious Kentucky Derby.
In order to take another step toward that goal, Peterson trains at Keeneland and currently at Churchill Downs.

“So I’ve been here for three years now. And this is where I see myself staying long term,” she added, reflecting on moving to Kentucky.

A passion that continues to drive Peterson to be at the top of her game.

“I can be physically exhausted, can be emotionally tired. And yet, I’m always excited to get out of bed to go get on another horse,” added Ferrin.

And while she strives to ride in the Kentucky Derby, and create history, “I think it’s just going to mean so much more when I get there.”

“I want to be the seventh rider to ride in it. But I really want to be the first to win it.”