Napravnik Injures Shoulder in Training Mishap, Sidelined 4-6 Weeks

Jun 15, 2014 John Asher

Jockey Rosie Napravnik is expected to be out of the saddle for four-to-six weeks while she recovers from a shoulder injury suffered in a training mishap early Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

Napravnik suffered what her husband, Joe Sharp, described as a “mild separation” of the clavicle at the joint in her left shoulder, according the rider’s business agent Kelly Summers Weitsma. No surgery will be required and Napravnik is expected to make a complete recovery from the injury during her time on the sidelines.

The injury occurred during a workout by the Bob Baffert-trained Socialbug, who suffered a fatal injury that sent Napravnik tumbling to the main track. Socialbug, who had finished second in the $111,000 Winning Colors (Grade III) on May 26, was euthanized following the accident.

Napravnik was transported to University of Louisville Hospital for treatment.

The 26-year-old Napravnik was injured just a few hours after she had piloted Winchell Thoroughbreds’ favored Tapiture to victory in the $109,400 Matt Winn (GIII) for 3-year-olds on Saturday evening’s “Downs After Dark” racing program at Churchill Downs.

The victory was her 31^st of the Spring Meet, the second-highest total for a female rider during any racing meet at Churchill Downs.  Napravnik now holds the two highest victory totals by a female rider in a single Churchill Downs race meet. She rode 45 winners in the Spring of 2013 to break a record held by retired jockey and current NBC Sports racing analyst Donna Barton Brothers, who had ridden 30 winners during the 1996 Spring Meet.

Corey Lanerie leads the current Spring Meet jockey standings with 42 wins heading into Sunday’s racing at the Louisville track.  Napravnik was in the runner-up spot, nine wins ahead of third-place Julien Leparoux.

During Kentucky Derby Week Napravnik rode Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Untapable to victory in the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).  The Oaks triumph was the second in three years for Napravnik, who is the only woman to win the race in its 140-year history.

She also eclipsed another record held by Barton Brothers on May 25 when she rode five winners on a single Churchill Downs racing program. Barton Brothers rode four winners on June 28, 1996 to establish the previous record for female riders.

Napravnik’s five-win performance prompted Churchill Downs announcer to exclaim “Everything’s coming up Rosie!” when she scored her third triumph – and third in-a-row – during her record-setting day.

Five of her victories during the meet have come in stakes races. In addition to the Oaks and Matt Winn, she rode Midnight Lucky to victory in the $330,600 Humana Distaff (GI); Delaunay in the $112,900 Aristides (GIII) and Regally Ready in the $64,907 Opening Verse.