Page 10 - May 2009 The Game

10 The Game, May 2009 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper Pye v Massachusetts Racing Commission
The lawsuit was of cial, Pye
v Massachusetts State Racing Commission, docket number 75-E-442-S. This type of challenge was alien to us but we embraced
it with the usual race riding determination. The odds were against Suzie, at least 20-1. Tradition ran deep on the racetrack and the Commission was holding to their position tenaciously.
become a laughing stock around the backside.
on the road before dawn. Suzie
had switched from coffee to chamomile tea several days before but she was very jittery that morning. Nancy had prepared her for her testimony but she had to get into the right frame of mind to handle the pressure.
We spent hours discussing the possible outcomes of the trial. Perhaps Suzie would triumph in court, only to nd herself boycotted at the track for daring to oppose entrenched prejudice, like the rst women who wanted to race. Or she might lose in court and
I had been reading books on the history of Massachusetts and kept Suzie entertained during the drive with the amazing stories of the revolutionaries. Boston was the home of the sons and daughters of liberty, the place where the ght for American independence began. In this very
representing the Racing Commission. Thin and pale, he nervously shuf ed papers and twirled a pen. He seemed barely old enough to have taken the bar exam. I wondered if the Racing Commission had felt the case was
The leader in our campaign was Nancy Gertner, of Silverglate Shapiro & Gertner, a brilliant civil rights lawyer whose of ce was in downtown Boston. Suzie and I both suffered from a bad sense of direction which made traveling into the city an adventure. (One thing we loved about the racetrack is that you always turn left.) The streets of the city are a nightmare of one-ways, roundabouts and impatient drivers. Bostonians won’t use their blinkers when changing lanes—they don’t want to let the enemy know their plan.
we stood beside her.
I looked over at the lawyer
On the day of the trial, we were
city, barely a stone’s throw from the courthouse, one of the most famous moments in American history took place, the Boston Tea Party.
of so little concern they’d hired someone just out of law school. In contrast, Nancy Gertner was con dent, energetic and had a quick sense of humour. She’d done her homework and had her strategy planned. There was no doubt in my mind that she could think on her feet and handle the unexpected. She was ready to do battle for the plaintiff.
A Head at the Wire
A Series of Real Life Stories by Paddy Head
Yearling Consignment & Prep
Expert Yearling Sales Representation & Sales Preparation
Professional Sales Agent with Attention to Detail
Years of Experience Handling and Preparing Yearlings for Sales
Smaller Consignment equals More Focused Sales and Marketing
Nobelking Stables.....When Quality Counts!
Call Jennifer Brooker 905-859-7884 or 416-881-7100 4965 - 16th Sideroad, Schomberg, Ontario, L0G 1T0
In search of inspiration, Suzie and I walked to Boston Harbour. We could almost smell the tea in the murky waters. Remembering another hero of the time, I recited what I remembered from Wordsworth’s poem : Listen my children and you shall hear, of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.
When court was called to order, Nancy presented her case. Her argument was that the age limitation of 25 for an apprentice jockey’s license had the effect of continuing the past discrimination against women like Suzie. When she was 25 years old, women weren’t being granted
Morale boosted, we set off with great resolve. Our newfound con dence was slightly diminished when we entered the courthouse. It was not designed
a jockey’s licences. Any rule that discriminated against a group of people, such as this rule, was against the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
to put you at ease. The cold marble oor in the hallway imparted a sombre echo to our voices. We both spoke in whispers. Nancy however was very much at home and not in the least intimidated. Optimism rose again as
The lawyer for the Racing Commission began his argument
by stating that a jockey’s profession was inherently dangerous, and
that safety was the main concern, especially regarding the criteria for apprenticeship. An apprentice riding his or her rst race was a great risk factor for all riders involved and would remain so until they had achieved some experience. Adding an age factor increased the risk. Nancy objected to this reasoning, pointing out that a 26 year old would be more inclined to be aware of the risk involved than a 16 year old.
Live Horse Racing...Experience It!
June – 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
July – 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 29 August – 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29, 30 September – 7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23, 26, 27
~*~Dates May Be Subject To Change, With Prior Notice~*~
Harness Racing 2009
July – 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31 August – 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22
Thoroughbred Racing 2009
“The Track” Sports Lounge & Casino
Open Year Round!
10am-2am, 7 Days A Week
99 Slot Machines, Off Track Betting & Daily Food Specials!
Located beside the Gordon Badger Stadium
Evergreen Park is Located 3.5 Km South on Resources Road in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
For More Information Please Call (780) 532-3265 Or Visit Our Website www.evergreenpark.ca
The nervous lawyer for the defendant argued that the physical strength and tness level of a jockey wouldn’t be possible for an older person to attain. Nancy assured the judge that the folks from the old age homes weren’t about to go ocking to Suffolk Downs to apply for a jockey’s license. The defence lawyer nished his argument with the feeble statement that the ruling had been in effect for well over a hundred years and had worked well so far.
The scales of justice tipped in Suzie’s favour when the judge declared the ruling prejudicial. On July 3, 1975 Susan Norris Pye made history. The apprentice ruling was expanded to include all ages in within the state of Massachusetts. By the end of the year, many other states followed suit.
Suzie rode at Suffolk Downs until the ‘80’s. I lost contact with her though I thought of her often. Recently, I learned that she passed away in 2001 at the age of 58. In her will, Suzie made a generous bequest to the Don Macbeth Fund.
Suzie Pye’s life drew to a premature close, yet she lived an adventure that forever transformed the rules of the racetrack.