Joanne McNamara, widely recognised as the "Exercise Rider to the Stars," sadly passed away on February 4 in Ocala, Florida, following a short battle with cancer. She was 67 years old. Born on May 17, 1956, in Bedford, New York, Joanne and her sister Patricia initially made their mark in the hunter-jumper world, exhibiting ponies and carving a niche for themselves. However, it was in the realm of Thoroughbred racing that Joanne McNamara discovered her true vocation and excelled.
From the outset, Joanne demonstrated an uncanny knack for identifying talent. In her early days, she worked for the esteemed Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller and Rokeby Stables. Among her remarkable experiences was riding Rokeby Rose, a multiple stakes winner who concluded her career triumphantly by clinching the 1981 Flower Bowl Handicap (G2T) at Belmont Park. Rokeby Rose's legacy extended beyond the racetrack, as she became a prominent broodmare, producing the illustrious Silverbulletday, who captured the coveted 1999 Kentucky Oaks (G1) title and amassed a staggering $3 million in earnings, ultimately earning a place in racing's Hall of Fame.
In the late 1980s, Joanne embarked on a long and fortuitous partnership with the legendary D. Wayne Lukas that would leave an indelible mark on Thoroughbred racing. Under Lukas' guidance, Joanne had the privilege of working with a string of exceptional horses, including Thunder Gulch, who triumphed in the 1995 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) and was crowned the champion 3-year-old male of that year. Other notable steeds Joanne rode for Lukas included Grindstone, the 1996 Kentucky Derby winner, Charismatic, the 1999 Horse of the Year and victor of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1), Tabasco Cat, who claimed the 1994 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, Timber Country, the 1994 champion 2-year-old colt who also won the Preakness Stakes, and Editor's Note, who emerged triumphant in the 1996 Belmont Stakes. Additionally, Joanne collaborated with Serena's Song, the 1995 champion 3-year-old filly who was later inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as Breeders' Cup winners Cat Thief (1999 Breeders' Cup Classic, G1) and Cash Run (1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, G1).
D. Wayne Lukas, fondly recalling Joanne's unwavering commitment to the sport, referred to her affectionately as 'Buttercup' and extolled her passion for her four-legged companions. "There was never a day she would come to work and not like what she was doing," Lukas remarked. "There were several of the horses she rode for us that she truly bonded with." Lukas vividly recalled Joanne's remarkable partnership with Editor's Note, who performed brilliantly before his triumph in the 1996 Belmont Stakes, where he defeated the eventual 3-year-old champion Skip Away and the Preakness Stakes victor Louis Quatorze. Lukas also credited Joanne's integral role in the success of Cash Run, who showcased her talent by capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 1999, defeating the eventual 2-year-old champion filly Chilukki and the remarkable Surfside, who would go on to become the 2000 3-year-old filly champion. The day proved to be doubly momentous as Cat Thief, another horse Joanne worked closely with, triumphed in the Breeders' Cup Classic, besting a formidable field.
Following her tenure with Lukas, Joanne briefly collaborated with trainers Dallas Stewart and Nick Zito before rejoining Lukas' barn. During her remarkable career, she also rode Unbridled Elaine, the winner of the 2001 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and Nasty Storm, a multiple stakes winner who fetched an impressive $1,075,000 upon retirement as a racing or broodmare prospect.