Purcell is back in the saddle

The jockey has come back from serious injury to take part in the world’s richest Purebred Arabian race, writes Amith Passela.

Jockey Kelsi Purcell, at the stables in Arapahoe Park in Aurora, has come back to racing after suffering a broken vertebra. RJ Sangosti / Getty Images

ABU DHABI // Kelsi Purcell’s journey to Abu Dhabi today has been an eventful one.

The American is in the UAE to ride in the world’s richest race for Purebred Arabians, the €1.2 million (Dh4.7m) Group 1 Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown.

The fact she is even in the capital tonight is nothing short of remarkable.

Earlier in her career, she was involved in a horrific accident where she suffered multiple fractured vertebrae.

Riding Stone Cat All Lit Up, a Quarter Horse, at the Sunland Park racetrack in New Mexico on February 13, 2010, her horse clipped the heels of another and fell, throwing Purcell to the ground.

The jockey was then crushed under the horse when it rolled over three times, which resulted in an injury that required two steel rods, four hooks and eight screws in her spine.

Three months later she was back in the saddle.

Speaking ahead of today’s opening meet of the Abu Dhabi season, Purcell says she is now “100 per cent fit”.

She partners Paddy’s Boy, on whom she has won nine races since her return to the saddle.

“I have a lot of metal in me, I have a lot of titanium in me but it has really not held me back,” she said.

“I had a lot of people saying I shouldn’t have gone back, I’ll not be the same, but this is the best I felt in my whole riding career.

“I have been professional for 10 years. I feel excited now, more than five years after the accident. I feel like I’m reinvigorated, and especially coming over here it is exciting too.”

Purcell works in a male-dominated profession but she says her gender has not held her back and that she has enjoyed support from her male counterparts.

“I have been really fortunate,” she said.

“I have always commanded a lot of respect from the men. I never found it really hard against them.

“I have ridden against some of the best male jockeys and they have always been very respectful and encouraged me on what I do.

“So I haven’t found a lot of challenges in terms of doing my job. I think that depends on peoples personalities and it comes with how your personality and how you can handle it. If someone had upset me, yelled at me, I can handle it.”

Paddy’s Boy is one of four entries from the United States in the Group 1 contest run over 1,600 metres.

He has an excellent record of 11 wins, two second-places, and one fourth in his 14 career starts. Purcell has been on-board the four-year-old bay son of Burning Sand for nine of his wins.

Paddy’s Boy, however, is in unchartered waters as he tackles a right-handed course, as well as running on turf for the first time.

“That would be one of our biggest challenges. He is still a baby and he has to overcome that too,” Purcell said.

“His personality and how he has changed from the beginning of the year until now, I think he can handle it well. The distance is no problem. He has won by more than 18 lengths over this distance.”

When asked if it was the prize money that convinced the horse’s connections to send him to Abu Dhabi, Purcell said: “It is both the prize money and to test the horse how good he is.

“I started riding this horse last year and we just clicked. And Scott [Powell, the owner] just allowed me to ride the horse and stick with the horse and we have done really well to become the No 1 in North America.

“We have travelled to a lot of places. We have been back and forth to California, Texas, Denver, back to New Mexico, back to California, and back to Texas.

“He has handled everything in his stride. I am confident he will run a big race.”

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