A Woman to Know: Dorothy Paget
The men whose stables usually win the big money are a little miffed at the shellacking the women seem to be giving them. — The Toledo Blade, 1955
(image via The Daily Mail)
She bred thoroughbreds, raced Bentleys and pushed men out of their own smoking lounges. She famously bet millions of pounds at the racetrack -- always on her own horses or her own cars -- and doled out romantic advice like "Go and kick him in the balls!" (actual quote). For many women in the horse racing world, she epitomized the glamour of the sport and the possibilities available to no-nonsense ladies -- and for many men (especially the jockies and trainers she'd berate after a loss), she was a nightmare. Throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, her winning horses (with incredible names like "Golden Miller," Straight Deal" and "Roman Hackle") won more than 1,500 races. And Dorothy was confident in her horses -- as she told one reporter, she never bet less than £1 million at the track.
Add to your library list:
Dorothy Paget: Queen of the Turf (Quintin Gilbey)
Ladies in Racing: Sixteenth Century to the Present Day (Caroline Ramsden)
Hitting the Turf (David Ashforth)
The Encyclopedia of British Horce Racing (Dr. Joyce Kay and Prof. Wray Vamplew)
Read more:
Meet the abominable Queen of the Turf (The Daily Mail)
The peculiar Miss Paget (Trainer Magazine)
Bonhams racing sale to include Dorothy Paget memorabilia (Horse and Hound)
Women Dominating the British race horse scene (The Toledo Blade)
Bentley Girls: Dorothy Paget (Bentley)
The racing royal whose beloved horses gave her huge happiness (The Guardian)
Dorothy Paget (Horse Racing History)
Old Bentley Boys Magic Lingers On (The Telegraph)
Notorious Women: Dorothy Paget (Jean Knows Cars)
Miss Paget wins Gold Cup in 1952 (British Pathe)
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