Max Hirsch was a titan in the sport. He won the 1934 Travers Stakes with Observant. He trained Bold Venture, winner of the 1936 Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. He trained horses for some of the richest and most powerful Americans, including Arnold Rothstein, the wealthy gambler and infamous fixer of the 1919 World Series. In 1934, he had recently become the trainer for the King Ranch, which would soon be one of the most successful stables in America.
That year Hirsch’s daughter, Mary, made some horse racing history herself. She was the first woman in the country licensed to train Thoroughbred racehorses. Mary had grown up around horses, naturally, and rode jumpers before deciding to try her hand at training. Owners gladly handed horses over to her despite any biases against her gender because, according to the New York Times, “her father thinks enough of her judgement to consult…
Leave a reply