SOFT HANDS & SOTTO VOCE TO WIN
Four hooves collectively pound the dirt with more than 1,000 pounds of pressure, at 40 miles an hour, sometimes menacingly squeezed on either side by sweating bodies of equal heft whose riders try to push the race hard and heavy. Sometimes the bad guys win, but lately, they’ve been bested by the object of their dirty tricks: the 25-year-old jockey they told to “stay home and make babies.”
She is Rosie Napravnik. And she’s gorgeous. And it’s not just because she’s a pretty girl. This is more than a story of a woman breaking through the testosterone barrier. While it’s true, she is only the sixth female jockey in the long history of the Kentucky Derby, and, with a horse aptly named “Believe You Can,” she was the first woman ever to win the Kentucky Oaks (the Derby for fillies), this story is more about her beautiful way with horses.
(Photo: Rosie Napravnik)
You only have to watch how Napravnik holds the reins and listen to her speak to these high-strung animals, her partners in victory, to begin to understand. Napravnik’s exceptionally soft hands and whispers soothe and inspire trust, while her gentle smooches encourage. They tell a horse when to relax and when to let loose towards the finish, both of which are necessary for a win. She forms a loving relationship with each horse she rides. They feel her. So when she asks them for their all, and then presses them for even more, these magnificent thoroughbreds gather their greatness and fly.
(Photo: Rosie Napravnik)
She’s part horse whisperer and part speed demon. In a recent interview with 60 Minutes, esteemed horse trainer (and Rosie’s sister), Jazz Napravnik, told Bob Simon, “There's a special something she has that gets those horses to put in a little extra effort. And she has a special connection that no one can really put words to.”
Like a Gandhi in a saddle, Napravnik has faced down scores of jockeys, trainers, and owners who have shunned and harassed her because they believe that women don’t belong in racing. She doesn't get angry. She peacefully, yet effectively, gets even. She’s won over 1,500 races and $48 million in purses in her 8-year career. Last year, she won purses totaling more than $12.4 million, ranking eighth in North America. This year, she’s won more races than any other jockey. And she’s a serious contender in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
(Photo: Rosie Napravnik)
Napravnik’s father is a farrier. Her mother is a horse trainer. So, her jockey career really began in utero, riding with her mother. She started racing ponies at age seven. And by 17, she earned her jockey’s license. Beyond gender issues, she’s pushed through the pain of a broken back, collar bone, leg, arm, and wrist, as broken bones are a common occupational hazard. Her attitude and grace have been as much a factor in her success as her strength and skill. Jazz and she have a common motto: “You're never good enough until you're the best."
(Photo: Rosie Napravnik)
While her Derby mount, Mylute, is considered a bit of a long shot, he won with Napravnik the first and only time she rode him. Will Napravnik’s physical, emotional, and spiritual beauty win out in the Run for the Roses? One way or the other, with or without horse racing’s most coveted crown, we believe her beauty will triumph.
@jwsist01 @abbieroden @equisponse If you all beat me in the derby I will still b a good sport and slap someone on the bum n say "Good Game"
— Rosie Napravnik (@Rosie_Napravnik) April 25, 2013
