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Napravnik returns to her racing roots for Preakness

Rosie Napravnik reflects on how much a Preakness victory would mean to her (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) Jockey Rosie Napravnik started her career in Maryland, rode her first winner at Pimlico and returns to Old Hilltop as one of the top stories of the 138th Preakness. Napravnik, 25, is in the midst of her first full meet at Churchill Downs, but this weekend she'll come full circle by riding at Pimlico, where she achieved her first victory nearly eight years ago. Napravnik was named on eight horses Friday and five horses Saturday, highlighted by Mylute in the $1 million Preakness, the second jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Saturday will mark one year since Napravnik's last race at Pimlico, when she guided Wildcat's Smile to a third-place finish in the Black-Eyed Susan. In 2006, Napravnik swept the rider standings at all four meets at Pimlico and Laurel and finished second behind Julien Leparoux in the voting for outstanding apprentice jockey. "It would mean a lot to me (to win the Preakness) because it's where I started," Napravnik said. "I have a lot of friends and family there, and there are lots of people there who really got me started in my career. I'm very proud to go ride in the race and, if we could win, it would be even sweeter." Mylute enters the Preakness off a fifth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby under Napravnik. It was the best finish ever in the Run for the Roses by a female jockey.

"I think he should improve off his race in the Derby," Napravnik said. "He ran a great race that day. Hopefully we can get a good trip on Saturday."

Napravnik left for Baltimore on Thursday night shortly after picking up her 12th win of the Churchill meet. She enters Friday ranked third in the Churchill Downs jockey standings behind Shaun Bridgmohan and Joel Rosario.

"The meet has been great," Napravnik said. "I've done pretty well and made some new connections."

Despite this being her first Churchill meet, Napravnik already has become quite popular with the fans. Rarely does she make it back to the jockeys' room after a race without signing a few autographs and posing for a couple of pictures. Win or lose, fans line up after nearly every one of her races to meet her.

"It can get overwhelming at times when you're busy and in a hurry, but it's great," Napravnik said. "I love to see people excited about the game. We (jockeys) try to do all we can and sign every autograph and give out a pair of goggles every now and then."

Napravnik, who has now returned to Maryland as one of the leading riders in the country, fielded questions during a Friday morning press conference at the Pimlico Stakes Barn.

"Preakness or not, I'm so excited to be home," she said. "I had a terrible trip coming in last night, but I was driving home at 11 o'clock just excited to be here. To come and ride the Preakness is really a dream come true. I'm really happy to be here."

Napravnik moved to trainer Holly Robinson's farm in Sparks, Maryland, in the summer of 2004 and started exercising horses. She won her career debut aboard Ringofdiamonds for trainer Dickie Small on June 9, 2005. Nearly eight years, another 1,543 wins and more than $49 million in purse earnings later, she is ready for her first ride in Maryland's signature race.

While most jockeys would call a Kentucky Derby victory the most important achievement, Napravnik said for her the Preakness is in the discussion. 

"I would say they are head-and-head," she said. "The Derby would mean so much for my career and to so many people. The Preakness would really be a great personal accomplishment. I don't know which would be more exciting. I haven't won either yet, so I'll let you know when it happens."

Napravnik will be the third female rider in Preakness history and the first since Andrea Seefeldt finished seventh in 1994. At the press conference, she fielded a question about being a female rider.   

"I guess it will always be asked. I'm glad to be here," she said. "I'm not doing this because I'm a girl. I'm not trying to win the race because I'm a female jockey. I just want to win the race."

Napravnik believes that Mylute is still on the upgrade (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos) The Preakness will be Napravnik's third ride on Mylute. They won an allowance race together at Fair Grounds in December and finished fifth in the Derby, 3 3/4 lengths behind Orb. Mylute, the 5-1 second choice on the morning line, drew the No. 5 post in the nine-horse field. Orb has the rail.  One of the first questions she was asked at the press conference was, "How do you beat Orb?" "We followed him last time in the Derby," she said. "We do have a little bit of an outside advantage on him, We'll have to see how the race sets up and we'll have to move forward a couple of lengths. I do think that Mylute is moving forward." Napravnik smiled at the follow-up: How good is Orb? "He seems like a very good horse and one that is moving forward, as well, but Mylute is definitely coming along, too," she said. "He's a little bit of a slow learner, but I think he's really waking up and improving as a race horse. He's really getting that competitive drive and he's got a powerful move." Napravnik knows Pimlico and said it will suit Mylute's closing style.  "I think that this track is stereotypically called a speed-biased track, but, honestly, I've ridden on this track a million times and I really think that it's a fair track," she said. "I don't think it's going to be any disadvantage to us coming from behind and it's a very long stretch."

Still, she said that her familiarity with Pimlico does not give her a serious home-track advantage.

"Jockeys, in general, we adjust all the time to new tracks," she said. "I don't think it's such a huge deal, but obviously being very familiar with the track is probably an advantage. I've ridden this race course a million times and won plenty of races on it. At least for me, it's not something I have to get to know."

The Derby experience gave Napravnik a better understanding of how to handle Mylute on Saturday.

"A lot of people had said he broke bad, which is not true," she said. "He broke fine with the group, but he just dropped back. If there is anything I would change is maybe not be quite as far back. He's got a great running style. He's very relaxed. He's very easy to ride. You can move him in or out, wherever he wants to go.

"What I really learned about him is that his class is kind of coming out and he's really improving. I'm really excited about this race."

Win or lose on Saturday, Napravnik won't be hanging around Baltimore too long after the races. She is named on seven horses at Churchill Downs on Sunday, including Horned Frog in the 1ST race.

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