Diane Crump, first woman to ride in Kentucky Derby, dies

Diane Crump, the first woman to ride as a jockey in the Kentucky Derby, has died. She was 77.

Crump passed away Thursday, according to a GoFundMe page started by her daughter, Della Payne.

She had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, since October. She died in Winchester, Va., The Athletic reported.

"Today we mourn the passing of Diane Crump, the first woman to ride professionally in 1969 and the first to ride in the Kentucky Derby in 1970. Her courage opened the gates for generations," the Kentucky Derby wrote on social media. "Our condolences to her loved ones."

Crump rode Fathom in the 1970 Derby, finishing 15th in a 17-horse field.

Her first pro mount came in 1969 at Hialeah Park in Florida, much to the dismay of a half-dozen male jockeys who refused to ride with a woman in the race.

Later that year, Crump earned her first victory at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

She retired in 1998 with 228 career wins in 1,682 starts, according to Equibase. Her career earnings were just under $1.3 million.

Post-retirement, she founded Diane Crump Equine Sales, matching buyers and sellers in the horse-racing industry.

--Field Level Media