Peterson and Krone off to amazingly successful start at Monmouth

At least somebody is enjoying a fantastic 2020.

“I’m living the dream,” Ferrin Peterson said this week by phone from New Jersey, where the 28-year-old jockey has booted home 20 winners at Monmouth Park in Oceanport. “I’m getting to do everything I ever wanted to do.”

A four-win day on the Aug. 2 card at Monmouth has helped to lift Peterson, a seven-pound apprentice, into a tie for second with Antonio Gallardo in the local jockey standings. Both started a new race week Friday with 20 winners, trailing only Paco Lopez (39).

In these troubled times of the global pandemic, the story of Peterson as a rising saddle star has been a welcome diversion. Monmouth has had its own separate set of issues this year – its dominant trainers of recent years, Jason Servis and Jorge Navarro, both were indicted for drug offenses in March, and horsemen have not yet been paid some $7 million in purse money at this meet because of a regulatory snag – so the emergence of Peterson at the Jersey Shore is a breath of fresh air.

Peterson can be called “jock,” but you can also call her “Doc.” Remarkably, she is essentially pulling double duty – when she’s not riding races or scouting the backstretch for mounts with her agent, the retired jockey Julie Krone, she’s also practicing equine acupuncture after becoming a licensed veterinarian last year with a degree from the University of California, Davis.

“A lot of people are calling me Doc, although I haven’t quite gotten used to it,” she said with a laugh.

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It is in the saddle, however, and not on the ground, that Peterson is garnering the most attention. Krone, her mentor and close friend, is ecstatic with how things are playing out for both of them at the meet, which began July 3.

Krone, who spent summers early in her career at Monmouth and Atlantic City, is widely acknowledged as the greatest female rider in racing history. Now 57, she was inducted into the racing Hall of Fame in 2000 prior to her retirement in 2004.

“I was just hanging out at Del Mar last summer when I met Ferrin,” said Krone, “and I got this bug for racing again. Being around her has been so great – her work ethic and her dedication are absolutely amazing. She really reminds me of myself when I was younger and so into the game.”

The women are living at the Red Bank residence of one of Krone’s close friends. Krone’s 14-year-old daughter, Lorelei, also lived with them for much of the summer before returning to school in California while living at home with her father, Krone’s husband, Jay Hovdey, the former longtime Daily Racing Form executive columnist.

Peterson grew up with a love of horses in her native California and actually began riding races in February 2018 at Golden Gate Fields while still in vet school. Her first win came in March 2018, and her fifth in May 2018.

Her recent spate of wins at Monmouth have brought her career total to 36, and her seven-pound weight allowance will be reduced to five after she wins her 40th. Her apprenticeship was supposed to lapse a year from her fifth win, but because of time spent in school and time missed because of the pandemic, it won’t expire until next spring because of exemptions granted to her by the Southern California stewards.

Peterson said the down time during the pandemic was difficult, especially when it became known that Krone would be her agent and a certain amount of hype revved up.

“It was like, okay, is she really who Julie says she is?” said Peterson. “I always felt like horses ran for me, so it’s been very encouraging for me to have it take off like this.”

Peterson’s mounts at Monmouth have outrun their odds: a $2 win bet on each of her first 105 mounts have resulted in a $2.39 ROI. Four of her winners have come for trainer Wayne Potts.

“She’s a very talented young lady, very hard working,” said Potts. “She comes by and gets on two or three horses in the morning if I need her to. She has great hands and listens very well.”

The Monmouth meet runs through Sept. 27, after which Peterson and Krone will move to a different state. Peterson has mentioned Laurel, Aqueduct, or Gulfstream as potential relocation spots, but she’s keeping things open for the time being – all while having the time of her life, even surrounded by all the Covid misery.

“Riding isn’t something I want to do just for the time being,” she said. “I can always fall back on being a vet, but right now I’d like to make this a long career, maybe 20 years or however long I’m lucky enough to keep doing what I love. The future is so exciting.”