LOUISVILLE ? They didn't win, but women made a step forward in the Kentucky Derby record books Saturday with a female jockey making a ninth place finish and trainer Kathy Ritvo's horse edging into the money to show.
By Matthew Stockman, Getty Images
Rosie Napravnik rode Pants on Fire to a sixth-place finish, becoming the highest-finishing woman in Kentucky Derby history.
By Matthew Stockman, Getty Images
Rosie Napravnik rode Pants on Fire to a sixth-place finish, becoming the highest-finishing woman in Kentucky Derby history.
Only the sixth female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby, Rosie Napravnik gave her best effort to take Pants on Fire to the winner's circle — but ended up finishing in 9th place.
That makes her the highest-finishing woman jockey in Derby history. Two female jockeys have finished 11th in the race — Patti Cooksey in 1984 and Julie Krone in 1995.
"I've said a million times, the first and second generations (of women jockeys) have really opened the doors for me," Napravnik said. "So, we continue to have more and more talented female riders. I'm hoping to be back here once again."
All week, Napravnik gave interviews and was highlighted as she tried to make a new record as the first female to win the Derby. She became the first woman to win the Louisiana Derby, riding Pants on Fire to that honor.
137TH DERBY: Longshot Animal Kingdom surges to win
DERBY INJURY: Archarcharch pulls up lame in final yards
LOPRESTI: Derby fate cruel for one injured jockey
PHOTO GALLERY: Best images from Churchill Downs
As a young girl, who had first loved racing ponies, she set a goal for herself to win the Triple Crown.
But now at 23, Napravnik said she knows what a daunting feat that would be and relished in her opportunity to ride in one of the sport's biggest competitions.
"It was the funnest thing I've ever done," she said, adding that hearing My Old Kentucky Home and the crowd roar as Pants on Fire was introduced was overwhelming and amazing.
"Anyone that knows me will know I'm disappointed that I didn't win," she said. "It was a really great experience. I'm just really excited to see where Pants on Fire goes next because he's a very talented horse."
After the week of racing at Churchill, Napravnik headed out to have dinner with her mother, Cindy, who said her daughter is a winner for crossing the finish line safely.
"It's like a completely euphoric feeling," Cindy Napravnik said of her daughter's trip to the Derby. "It's something you believe in to make it happen, but it's almost hard to believe it happened. I'm in a loss for words here."
While several female trainers have gotten horses to the Derby field, Ritvo relished her horse Mucho Macho Man's third-place finish. Only one other female trainer, Shelley Riley, has seen a higher finish when her horse Casual Lies finished second in 1992.
Ritvo, who had a heart transplant in November, said this whole experience of being at the Derby has been amazing.
She watched the race from the side of the track, standing on her tippy toes to see her horse come across the finish in the money.
"The horse ran very well today," she said. "It's great. The horse is just a nice horse, he's coming along."
Ritvo did not commit to a run in the Preakness, but said it is a possibility.
"He's only going to get better," she said. "He'll come back hopefully in a couple weeks if he comes back good and we're ready to go."
Ritvo said she doesn't try to be a role model for female trainers, but said she'd be flattered if she is.
"If I am that would be great, but they just need to hang in there like me," she said. "There's a lot of good days and a lot of bad days. You hold on to the good days and forget the bad days."
Posted
0 comments:
Post a Comment