SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Jessica Pyfer is an apprentice jockey at Del Mar, but take one look at her stats, and you quickly see she is holding her own against other male riders. In fact, she comes into the season at Del Mar carrying a lot of momentum from Santa Anita.
"I think we had 36 wins or something like that at Santa Anita, and that was really awesome."
She was so impressive at Santa Anita, that she finished the year 6th in the jockey standings.
"For a woman jockey, female jockey, to be in the top ten as an apprentice, is pretty unbelievable. To be sixth was the cherry on the top."
Jessica grew up in the business, as her father is a trainer. The 23-year old says after graduating from Azusa Pacific she had a decision to make. Continue her education by going to law school, or start her career racing horses.
"I love politics and law which became my new passion, but I made my classes late in the day so I could go out riding in the morning. I kept riding year after year and it just became more the front and center of my life."
Jessica is 1 of 3 female jockey's on the roster this season at Del Mar, and according to the jockey guild, female jockey's make up about 8% of the 1,500 licensed jockey's in the United States.
"I knew I needed to work as hard as I could to be able to ride with the men. It was more a focus of getting as strong as I could. I've grown up with many of these guys in the jocks room and they ride for my dad. I think it's a mutual respect and especially because they can see how I am doing."
So for the time being, Jessica will put law school on hold.
