Titles in Horses

On the morning of May 18, 1924, households across America opened their newspapers to the headline: "Derby Winner Property of Indian Woman." The woman in question was Rosa Magnet Hoots, a member of the Oklahoma Osage Nation. The horse, draped in the iconic red roses signifying his victory in the fiftieth running of the Kentucky Derby, was Black Gold. Named for the oil that had been discovered in large quantities in Oklahoma at the time of his birth, Black Gold was born in 1921 to a mare named Useeit.

A decade after her dramatic launch into fame, celebrated jockey Michelle Payne reflects on what she's learned about love, loss, courage and kindness. The Melbourne Cup: the most prestigious horse race in Australia and never won by a female jockey—until 2015. When Michelle Payne swept across...