Whether you’re a betting, racing, or a mint julep fan many people are preparing for the 140th Kentucky Derby on Saturday. But it’s not all fancy hats and cocktails for the women of horse racing.
While the sport remains skewed towards male jockeys and owners there’s a few women making headlines for this weekend’s race. Vicar’s in Trouble may be the longshot horse, but his jockey, 26 year-old Rosie Napravnik, has won more than 1500 races since she began professional jockeying less than ten years ago.
Be it bravado or determination, Napravnik doesn’t seem too concerned about her odds. If she rides Vicar into the front of the finish line, she’ll become the first woman to ride a Kentucky Derby winner.
According to the official website, the first woman horse owner and subsequent winner, was Laska Durnell in 1904. Her horse, Elwood, was also the first winner bred by a woman, J.B. Prather.
Napravnik’s horse, Vicar, is owned by one of racing’s power couples. Sarah and Ken Ramsey have been dubbed “self-made millionaires.” The couple started in real estate and ballooned into cell phone franchises. Last August, America’s Best Racing named the Ramsey’s Outstanding Owner and Breeder. Other than Vicar, the pair has another horse running in Saturday’s race, We Miss Artie, ridden by male jockey, Javier Castellano. Yet the competitive Mrs. Ramsey, reportedly only leads in the top-ranking horses.
Women owners have been prevalent in the Derby since the early 1940s. In fact, women owned seven of the eight race finishers in 1942. This year there are several other women co-owners, including Carolyn Coburn and Denise Martin who own California Chrome. Yet, Napravnik will be only the sixth woman to make a “run for the roses” at Churchill Downs.
Photos courtesy of KentuckyDerby.com: Power Creative / Dan Dry, and Liam Spradlin
5TAGS: Horse Racing Kentucky Derby Women in Sports