Outraged female jockey barred from breastfeeding her baby in women's changing room says female steward told her she needed to decide whether she's a jockey or a mom

A 28-year-old jockey was astounded and offended when she believed a steward had banned her from breast feeding her baby son at a California race track.

Kayla Stra, originally from Australia, said on Sunday that Kim Sawyer, a female steward at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, told Stra's agent that she had to decide whether she wanted to be a mother or a jockey.



As reported by the UT San Diego , officials at the track have put the row down to a misunderstanding but the California Horse Racing Board has come down firmly on Stra's side.

Unfair: Kayla Stra (left) celebrates winning a race at the Del Mar track in July 2011. She is upset by the actions of the Hollywood Park track, who she claims gave her an ultimatum whether to be a jockey or a mother



Action: Stewards at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, Ca, have received a rebuke from the chairman of the state racing board over the affair

On Saturday, Hollywood Park steward Scott Chaney said that there had been a mix-up with another female jockey, not riding that day, who was in the women's room and changing the diaper on Stra's baby.

Chaney also said that the track had provided a separate room for Stra to attend to her baby boy.





Then, according to the UT San Diego, Stra became upset when discussing the matter on the Roger Stein Radio Show on Sunday morning.



On Sunday afternoon, David Israel, chairman of the state racing board, issued a strongly worded directive to the track stewards.



Trouble: The file photo shows a steward watching on at Lingfield racecourse in England

'Kayla Stra's baby can be in the jocks' room. Her nanny can be with the baby. And both the mother and the nanny can do all the things they need to do,' the statement read.



'The CHRB will not tolerate discrimination in any form against anyone for any reason. No special rooms. No one goes to the back of the damn bus. Period.



'In order for a new mother to do her job, certain accommodations need to be made. We clearly do not have a nursery at any of our race tracks, and I don't expect them to be constructed any time soon.



'Not only can a jockey also be a mother, I'd like to encourage women to consider the possibility and the profession. It is the right thing to do and it is good business.



'Reach out to Stra right now, call her in, straighten this out, restore full rights in the jock's room, and then put her on the phone with me so I can apologize to her on behalf of the CHRB. Thank you,' he concluded.



The UT San Diego reports that Stra has been surprised by the amount of attention her case has received and that she had received a number of supportive emails from Israel.

Mother and a jockey: An event at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, in 2012

The jockey said she expects to receive an apology from the track stewards but explained that the ultimatum to choose between being a mom or a jockey was the worst aspect of the furor.



'That's what upset me the most,' Stra told the newspaper. 'At that time I didn't know anything about the state work place law that allows women to (breast-feed) their babies and have them at work if they have to. I was feeding my baby in my car before that.' Stra explained.