Wilson Passes Krone's Earnings Record

One of Canada's top riders, Emma-Jayne Wilson, became the leading purse-earning female rider in North American racing history July 11 at Woodbine.

The 42-year-old jockey surpassed the long-time record of US$90,126,584 held by Hall of Famer Julie Krone when she won race 4, a US$56,214 maiden special weight, on Charles Fipke's homebred Perfect Lady Bee , trained by another Hall of Famer, Roger Attfield. Wilson entered the winner's circle after the win with career earnings of US$90,152,742.

"It's not necessarily about the wins. It's about the seconds, the thirds, the fourths, the fifths, it all matters," Wilson said. "To break the record with a win with these connections, I mean you couldn't have written a story book any better. I'm really trying hard not to show too much emotion."

Fighting back tears, Wilson continued.

"I mean, I'm so used to putting my emotions in the back seat to ride races and be completely focused one race to the next, but this one means so much to me."

As she closed in on Krone's mark earlier this summer, Wilson told Woodbine publicity that Krone was "an inspiration to me and so many others." 

After she broke the record Thursday night, the significance of her achievement began to set in.

"You know, it's not about beating (Krone). It's about being one of the girls who put women on the map," Wilson said.

Wilson's career began auspiciously in 2004 during the same year Krone retired. The following year, in 2005, Wilson became Woodbine's leading rider as an apprentice, winning both a Sovereign Award and an Eclipse Award for her achievements. Then, in 2006, she captured both the Woodbine title and a second Sovereign Award as outstanding apprentice.

She would win the country's prestigious Queen's Plate aboard Mike Fox in 2007 and has since recorded three grade 1 victories.

Currently, in her 20th season at Woodbine, Wilson has more than 1,900 career wins. A respected ambassador for the sport, she received the coveted Avelino Gomez Memorial Award in 2018, which honors significant contributions to the sport by a jockey.

Wilson has taken her talents across the world, including riding Hong Kong in 2008 and captaining the Girls' Team to victory in the Shergar Cup at Ascot in 2015.

She and her wife, Laura Trotter, are proud parents to twin girls, Grace and Avery.