For 13 years, Denise (Boudrot) Hopkins rode the New England thoroughbred racehorse circuit winning over one thousand races. She earned the nickname Longshot Lady and in the fall of 1974, the 22-year-old, became the first woman to win a riding title at a major thoroughbred track - Suffolk Downs. Retiring in 1985 she settled down to a simpler and safer life marrying Roland Hopkins, the founder of the New England and New York Real Estate Journals and a successful racehorse owner.
In 1972, Denise rode in her first horse race. She was a pioneer for female jockeys, at a time when there were very few of them at the track. Horse trainers were reluctant to employ a female rider. They were considered the weaker sex. But that attitude changed with the women's liberation movement. Denise proved that she could also get to the track before sunrise, put in 18-hour days, and ride nine mounts a day. Plus, she was a winner. Recently the New England Turf Writers Association elected Denise to its Hall of Fame. Denise is the fifth jockey recognized by the NETWA with this honor, and the only woman.
Denise died May 19th at her farm in Grafton, VT due to a long illness.
Denise formerly lived in Duxbury, Mass. and had a farm in Ocala, Fla.
A ceremony will be celebrated in Vermont on Memorial Day.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Springfield Humane Society, 401 Skitchewaug Trail, Springfield, VT 05156-8820 or the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock, One Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH 03756-0001.