Popular G1-winning female jockey with more than 1,200 career victories to her name answers the questions in our regular slot
Chantal Sutherland’s Wikipedia entry lists her as a model, TV personality and jockey, in that order. It should be the other way around as the popular G1-winning rider, after two spells of retirement, remains very much a full-time jockey whose 59 winners in 2022 counted towards a career tally of more than 1,200.
The 47-year-old has used her profile to help propel horse racing in North America to a wider audience. In 2006 she was named one of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People and was photographed by Annie Leibowitz for Vogue. She has been the face of a leading cosmetics brand and featured in the hit reality series Jockeys.
Born in Winnipeg, Canada, Sutherland represented her country at field hockey as a junior before taking up show jumping and dressage through which she discovered horse racing. In her second season as a jockey she rode 124 winners, capturing Canada’s Sovereign Award for outstanding apprentice in 2001 and 2002.
She has won 23 graded stakes races and is best known for her partnership with Game On Dude, on whom she won three G1 races and finished second in 2011 Breeders’ Cup Classic. At the end of February, she took part in the International Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia.
Which racing figure past or present do you most admire?
There are so many from all over the world. Yutaka Take has been amazing. Frankie Dettori has been inspiring, Mike Smith has been inspiring. Garrett Gomez, for me, was an amazing rider on the grass.
There are tons I’ve looked up to – and even more horses, like Zenyatta. Probably the most influential person in helping me perform better in racing was Mike Smith. He taught me technique and with him I learnt how to strengthen my body. I learned a lot about how to breeze a horse well from Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen. Every trainer I have worked for has helped me.
Which is your favourite venue and race anywhere in the world?
I love Del Mar and I really loved Hong Kong when I rode at Happy Valley. You are almost in a Harry Potter movie because you are in the city and engulfed by all the buildings. That was amazing. I would really love to go back there.
In Saudi Arabia, everything was first class. I was hesitating about going – I read all the stuff on Google and social media but I have to say I could literally throw all of that out. I feel like they want to encourage women to get into racing and compete at our level. That’s wonderful. My favourite race is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. I rode Game On Dude in it but It’s such a good race to watch as well. Everybody comes for that race.
Who is your favourite racehorse and why?
Flightline blew my mind but it would have to be Game On Dude for me. That was a really exciting time. On him I got to ride in the Dubai World Cup for the first time. I loved the horse because he gave me such energy and took me all over the world. He was a horse that ran for me. He was a beautiful animal. If you were to choose the nicest, sweetest horse, it was Game On Dude. But I ride some nice horses now, too.
What is your fondest memory in racing?
Winning the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico last year on Lightening Larry. He was my first graded stakes win for eight years after having time out with injury and being hampered by the Covid outbreak. Making that comeback in front of all the fans made it a really great day. It was my first big race back. Getting back into stakes races like that is my most recent standout moment. From the past it would be Game On Dude.
If you could change one thing in racing, what would it be?
I wish Billy Mott didn’t put his horse Drosselmeyer in the Classic because I would have won it!
I really hope that racing continues to bring in a new generation and more women get involved at the racing level as jockeys. I think it is an amazing sport and I hope we can really continue to pass it on to the next generation and that it continues to flourish. I hate seeing these tracks closing; I want the sport to live forever because it gives so many people so much pleasure.
But I am a bit concerned with the way tracks are trying to encourage the super trainer which pinches out the little guy. It’s so important for our industry to keep the little guy. There has to be a cap on some of the bigger trainers to keep it a level playing field for everyone. If you use the little guy to fill races for the big guys, it doesn’t become a very fun game anymore.
Chantal Sutherland was speaking to Jon Lees
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