Kaymarie Kreidel sits on her outrider pony like a rocket able to launch on the merest glimpse of hassle.  She is a part of a security system carried out at most horse racing tracks all through america. She scans the monitor constantly looking out for free horses or riders in hassle. Usually, she is on her means earlier than the protection siren alerts monitor personnel that there’s a problem on the monitor. It takes great ability and belief for her to race her horse subsequent to a runaway, lean over and grasp a rein or bridle whereas looking for to restrain a bolting horse who’s creating mayhem. That’s her job as an outrider at Pimlico Race Course, Laurel Park, and Timonium racetrack. She does it properly, typically in entrance of a worldwide viewers equivalent to when 2019 Preakness contender Bodexpress determined to take a lark across the monitor with out his jockey.

Being an outrider requires confidence, power, bravery, and ability. That comes from a lifetime of expertise. Kreidel defined that, “I’ve been sitting on a horse since I might sit upright.” Her first horse, named Ebony Spitfire, was “not a reasonably pony.” She was half Welsh mountain pony and half Shetland and is remembered for having a Thoroughbred kind of physique and a “large, ugly Shetland head.” Fairly obstinate, she would buck Kreidel off on a regular basis. However perseverance and love paid off. Kreidel remembers that she “ended up being essentially the most phenomenal pony you would ever personal. She was so sensible, and she or he liked to compete in three-day eventing, English and western courses, barrel racing, and leaping. She had a coronary heart like a Thoroughbred.”

Kreidel grew up in what she refers to because the “present world,” using hunter-jumper and three-day eventing. However there was some disparity as she rode her $175 pony and used makeshift using tack from yard gross sales. Her mother made her present garments. She remembered, “half the time I rode bareback with lead ropes. I didn’t need my tack to interrupt or get soiled as a result of it was the one factor I needed to compete with.”

At some point after promoting her pony she was driving down the street along with her tack within the automobile. She occurred to note a horse farm. She pulled in and stated “Hey! Do you want anybody to train horses?” Kreidel met Charles Castranze, who defined that that they had racehorses who weren’t simple to trip. However he provided her the chance to jog the horses in layup earlier than they returned to the monitor. She thought, “it was the best factor on the planet that they have been going to pay me to trip horses.” The farm had a tough 2-year-old and so they despatched her to the monitor with him for a few weeks. 

She was solely 16 and nonetheless had the present world in her head. However she was intrigued. She was advised to go get a six-month card on a horse on the gate. In her phrases, “I’m nonetheless using like a present rider. I had no cross. My stirrups are medium size. I’m not perched like a jockey. I’m sitting within the saddle like regular. My fingers are again by the saddle. I’ve no mane in my fingers. The horse pops out of the gate and it’s a runner. I somersaulted proper off the again. I’m on the gate watching my horse go down the monitor. What the hell? The infants often inch out and I wasn’t anticipating the horse to return flying on the market!”

She had been galloping for 2 months and no person had advised her to hold onto the mane. She went again to the barn the place the train rider taught her how one can do a correct cross. loop her fingers within the mane. She stated, “Now every thing was a lot simpler!”

At some point, a van driver from Bonita Farm requested Kreidel if she had ever considered being a jockey. He defined that the farm did lots to assist children turn into jockeys. Kreidel was nonetheless in highschool, however she rose to the problem. There weren’t many feminine jockeys again then. 

Kreidel rode her first race in 1992, and within the following 23 years she has competed in additional than 2,500 races with 190 winners. Some years have been slim, and a few years have been distinctive.  She earned greater than $600,000 in 2004. She remembers that “There weren’t many lady jockeys again then, besides at Charles City. They’d have all-girl jockey races and it was a number of enjoyable. I attached with some very nice house owners that allow me journey all through the nation.”

She began to consider her future. She famous that “a number of jocks turned stewards and brokers. I like horses an excessive amount of. I knew that I might be bored watching everybody else trip.” She was filling in for outriders who wanted days off. Kreidel contemplated retiring as a jockey when she was 30, however stored getting good stakes horses and would postpone whereas she stored telling herself, “I’m going to go one other 12 months.” She mainly retired as a jockey in 2006 however sometimes rides yearly for her son, coach TJ Aguirre.

Kreidel loves being an outrider and maintains shut contacts inside the jockey neighborhood. Lots of the jockeys ask for her opinions on races and ways. She says that she “is fairly fortunate to have the vast majority of respect from the horsemen and riders in Maryland.”

Her son, TJ Aguirre, echoes that sentiment. “My mother is the perfect. She is an unbelievable laborious employee.  She all the time makes certain her horses get the perfect. Whether or not it’s bedding, feed, or hay.  She has a never-give-up mentality. She loves all her animals nearly as a lot as me. She’s one of many few folks on this world I belief round my very personal horses. I wouldn’t be the place I’m at this time if it wasn’t for her being by my aspect by means of life.”

Kreidel has had a wide range of horses as her outrider ponies. Her ponies are versatile. She additionally rides them for eventing, leaping, and fox searching. Kreidel stated the perfect description she has ever heard about an outrider pony was by Joe Rocco Jr.  “Many horses are like three-speed bikes. They’ve about three gears. An outrider pony is sort of a ten-speed bike. If you suppose you might be out of gears, you step on it and the horse goes to offer you one other gear.” 

Kreidel and her horse Witch Hunter made the nationwide information when Preakness contender Bodexpress reared within the gate, dropped jockey John Velazquez, and bolted down the monitor.  She was honored with the Contact of Class award on the Maryland Horse Discussion board and was named MVP of the 2019 Preakness for the way she and Witch Hunter caught Bodexpress on the conclusion of the race on nationwide TV. 

Witch Hunter is a 2007 gelding bred by Adena Springs (Ghostzapper — Successful Probability, by Alphabet Soup). She additionally rides Wolftrap (Avenue Magician — Maria’s Reply, by Maria’s Mon) who raced in 28 races, primarily in Maryland. She rotates her horses and says that Witch Hunter squeals and rears up in pleasure when he needs to be chosen. “He all the time needs to exit and he acts like a 2-year-old. They’ve such sturdy personalities.” She rides her ponies with a hackamore bridle.   

She could be very pleased with her outrider ponies. “Our job is to guard each horses and riders on the racetrack. Each my ponies dealt with Preakness week like the stylish, productive, sensible boys that they’re.”

Aidan Butler, chief govt officer for 1/ST Racing and Gaming, provided excessive reward for Kreidel.  “Kaymarie is a consummate horsewoman. She’s as fearless as she is proficient and a credit score to not solely the Maryland Jockey Membership however the entire business. Plus, she has the cutest ponies!”