Valerie Sciaretta is a jockey that rode in the 80’s and my friend Sandy put me in touch with her and I emailed her some questions and here is what she said to them and as you can see, she pretty much rode everywhere:
FOTH: Where were you born, and what were all the states you grew up in?
VS: I was born in a small steel milling town in Pennsylvania. I was raised on the racetrack and grew up in AZ,CO, AK, KY, CA,NM,NY, PA,WV,MA,NH and FL
FOTH: What sort of girl were you growing up (e.g., shy, tomboy, outspoken, class clown, most liked etc.), and what size family did you come from?
VS: Shy, but angry and there were three of us. I grew up in a single parent home with my mother, brother and myself.
FOTH: What was it that started a love of the horses in your heart, and at what age? At what age were you first exposed to the racing industry? Were any family members on the track before you, and if so, did they help you get established?
VS: I grew up on the track; we just went our own way at certain ages. I left home at 17 and went to FL with a friend and we started galloping horses for anyone that would let us and that was Luke McKathan and Jerry Pace, then I went to KY where I rode my first race. I became established as a jockey and then would rejoined my family from time to time.
FOTH: What do you remember about the first time you saw a live horse race and where was it?
VS: I grew up with horse racing and the first races I saw were in Prescott Downs on a bullring. I was about 7 years old.
FOTH: What was your first job on the racetrack, and what track was it at? What do you remember about the experience?
VS: I was a hot walker at 9 years old at Prescott Downs and the first thing I remember is I was experienced and good at what I did but the jips I would walk for many tried not to pay me, which fighting for what you had earned was typical throughout my teenage years as there were no laws.
FOTH: What experience inspired you to give serious consideration to becoming a professional female jockey in a male dominated sport?
VS: At 14-16, each day when as a groom and hot walker I would find myself wading in horse manure and going to school smelling like it, I said to myself everyday "someday I am going to be a jockey and be somebody."
FOTH: Who all would you give credit to as the source of your so called, "leg up" into racing?
VS: There wasn't really a leg up but a progression and being raised into the game, I naturally had experience and knowledge that JLCs, or Johnny come lately's (as we trackers referred) to "outsiders" didn't have. I resent the outsiders thinking it was so much easier for us.
FOTH: Did anybody teach you how to ride, or did you learn a lot on your own, or was it a combination of both?
VS: I had been riding since 4 years old taught by my mother and most trackers could ride. I quit school and ponied horses from a young age too. One learns much from ponying horses and it is a very rough job. My mother ponied horse throughout most of her early life on the track.
FOTH: Tell me what you remember about your 1st race.
VS: A man I was galloping for had me ride a three year old second time starter called He's Hot. It wasn't great as he was one of the favorites and finished last; un be known to the public he was sore. The crowd was rude booing me and telling me to go back to the kitchen, the valets were rude one saying "how'd you get this mount, sleep with someone?" It was difficult managing the social aspect as I was shy but I knew then I loved being a jockey and I knew I had worked hard for it.
FOTH: Tell us all about your 1st win. Was it an incredible experience?
VS: My first win was in Tampa, Hell for Blue, trained by Sara and Ernie Mellow. I loved the horse, the people and it was fabulous. That was the firs time I knew my lucky number was seven.
FOTH: How long did you end riding for, beginning when and where, and concluding when and where?
VS: I rode for 7 years 1979-1986. I started in Kentucky and ended in New Hampshire.
FOTH: What led to you retiring? When you rode your last race, did you know at that time that it was your last race? Do you still have any of your tack?
VS: I retired because I was getting married and need to stop traveling as much and I thought at the time if I trained horses that would be more stable, plus I was tired of the pain in my back and my knee. Plus I was too high strung for the ups and downs; it dominated much of my thoughts and time.
FOTH: During the time period that you rode, do you think that you were treated fairly by male trainers, owners, and other male jockeys? If not, could you elaborate on a few circumstances and what you came to believe was the biggest stumbling block for them, in their viewing you on a professional level, and treating you with the same respect as your male counterpart?
VS: Though the profession is very tough for both males or females, my time spent as a jockey I had to go to states where females were embraced such as much of New England as there was much discrimination for women, in fact the state steward in Kentucky at the time called me into his office alone, (not even with a journeyman rep like he was supposed to do) after my first race and discriminated heavily against me and at 18 years old and being shy, I was so shamed by what he did and said to me.
FOTH: What would you classify as your best and worst experience as a jockey?
VS: My best was finally getting to ride a few for my mother who worked her ass off from being a groom to becoming one of the first female trainers and then winning for her on the very horse she first let me ride because he was a long shot and the other rider took off; Gator Glory at Calder, number seven.it was hard for her to let me ride as she faced as much discrimination herself.
FOTH: If a young girl came to you, wanting to become a jockey, how would you instruct her to proceed? Are you mentoring young ladies now, be it your own children, or maybe through electronic communications with girls that have attended schools like, Frankie Lovato's Jockey Camp?
VS: I would tell her to go to a farm and start learning something about a horse first, but then I am old now and my views are outdated and provably trained as I resent that the JLCs have taken over; that is why I love Rosie Homiester, she grew up on the track.
FOTH: Do you think that a female rider will ever win all three of the Triple Crown races consecutively?
VS: Yes, but not in my life time.
FOTH: What are your thoughts on what Pimlico did last year (May 14, 2010) with the "retired female rider" Lady Legend's Race?
VS: It was cute and very healing for some I am certain.
FOTH: If you could change a few things about the professional sport of horse racing, what changes would you make?
VS: Give it back to the true horsemen
FOTH: Looking back over your career, was becoming a jockey easier or harder then you thought it was going to be? What obstacles did you have to overcome, and over what span of time?
VS: It was shockingly more difficult as I thought I would be embraced just like I was when I could clean all those stalls and the boys and men would say, "she's a worker, got to give her that; the whole family works. I'd hire em anytime." I wore that reputation like a proud metal because on the track back then, work ethic was everything.
FOTH: Can you elaborate on any of the spills you've been in during races? What injuries did you incur throughout your career, and what was the worst one?
VS: Amazingly enough, I went through several multiple horse spills unscathed; I believed I was invincible and when I stopped being it, I hung up my tack and all the old riders would tell me, "girl there are old riders and bold riders, but there are no old bold riders, hear what I’m sayin'" "If you start to worry about this horse and that horse, you’ll bring the bad to you; it’s time to get out."
FOTH: What are you doing with your life nowadays, after retirement, and what part do racing or racehorses play in your life after-the-fact?
VS: I would love to have a horse gain for fun. Seeing all my life how unkind the track is to the aged, I went to college when I left the track and now work as a licensed psychotherapist.
FOTH: I am out of questions, but offer a "thumbs up" to you for doing this interview. The floor is yours now, and I'd love to hear any last thoughts or stories you might like to share with racing enthusiasts everywhere. Any photos or videos you'd like to share with us would be greatly appreciated as well! Thanks again for your time and in sharing a private look inside your life.
VS: Thumbs up to you Chris and I enjoy your website.
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