America’s Best Racing has launched a monthly series to celebrate women in racing, explore the challenges they face in what has been a male-dominated industry, and highlight their achievements.

Jessica Paquette knew there would be pressure when Parx Racing named her as track announcer in November 2022, making her the nation’s only woman to hold such a full-time position.

Exactly how much pressure would be associated with the historic opportunity became clear when a woman called, presumably to wish her well but also to emphasize the critical nature of her breakthrough.

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“If you do not succeed in this,” the caller said, “you’re going to ruin it for everyone else.”

Paquette, 40, admits that her lack of experience caused her share of stumbles, especially in the early days. But rather than ruining it for aspiring girls, she is showing future generations the way.

Her increasingly confident voice will be heard when the Bensalem, Pa., track enjoys its biggest day, hosting the Pennsylvania Derby for 3-year-olds and the Cotillion Stakes for sophomore fillies on Sept. 20. Each Grade 1 race carries a $1 million purse.

It will mark another in a series of pinch-me moments for Paquette. She grew up with a passion for horses but never thought it would land her high above the track with the weighty responsibility of calling races that can change in an instant.

“I was kind of an awkward kid so I never thought I’d be on television,” the Lowell, Mass., native said. “Being an announcer never crossed my mind because you want to be things you can see, right? I had never seen a woman as an announcer. I didn’t think it was for women. I thought we could go be sideline reporters.”

She offers the same words of advice whenever she speaks to young people who aspire to work in racing.

Jessica Paquette developed a love of horses at an early age. (Jess Windhurst photo)

“You’ve got to love the horse first and the sport second.”

Paquette lives that. She fell in love with horses at an early age, cleaning stalls in exchange for riding lessons. She later worked as a hotwalker, handling Standardbreds at old Rockingham Park. She owns two off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs), What A Trippi and Puget Sound.

She gained administrative experience at the track while spending 13 years at Suffolk Downs, rising to senior vice president of marketing and serving as an analyst and handicapper.

She called her first race at Suffolk Downs in 2014. She later detailed Quarter-Horse action at Sam Houston Race Park for a weekend for consecutive years. The light went on in 2021. “By the end of that second weekend,” she recalled, “I said, ‘This is something I might really think to do.’ ”

That led to some television work for Parx, prompting management to contact her about the full-time announcing position when it became available. Rich Romano, director of broadcaster, made the ground-breaking decision to hire her in conjunction with chief operating officer Joe Wilson.

“Joe and I had the discussion about what we were looking for in an announcer, not just announcing but somebody who could bring us a social media presence, could bring us a public relations presence, somebody who knew their way around a podcast, and could really promote our brand,” Romano said.

The more they pondered that description, the stronger a candidate Paquette became.

“We knew she hadn’t called a lot of races before, but we knew she was well-respected in the industry and she was a go-getter,” Romano said. “We watched what she had done, and we knew she definitely had the ability to do it. We knew there would be a bit of a learning curve, but we also knew she would pick it up rather quickly.”

It took courage to offer her the job; it perhaps took even more courage for her to accept.

Paquette in Parx announcer's booth. (Courtesy of Jessica Paquette)

“It was really a jump into the deep end of the pool with an audience of millions, many of whom had loud opinions about all of the things I could be doing better,” Paquette said. “Some of them were right.”

Others, however, resorted to vulgar and vile barbs.

“To be honest, I don’t think we were prepared for the level of vitriol that was leveled at her personally,” Romano said. “I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that she is a woman.”

Romano added: “Social media can be good. It also can be very vicious. I give her all the credit in the world because she endured a lot.”

Jill Byrne, who has a strong background as an analyst, called her mentee a “superstar” for what she has endured.

“She’s put up with unfair and unfounded criticisms and rises above and continues to represent with class and integrity,” Byrne texted.

Through it all, Paquette kept her head down and continued to hone her skills. Thick skin, a strong will, and unwavering support from management allowed her to withstand one vicious verbal attack after another.

“Failure was never going to be an option,” she said, determined as ever.