Thoroughbred racing figures Rosie Napravnik and Jena Antonucci have shaped the sport by securing historic victories and shifting focus toward equestrian aftercare and professional opportunity.
For Napravnik, the ambition to conquer the sport began long before she entered a professional starting gate. LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX) reported that her childhood goals centered on becoming the youngest person to secure the Triple Crown.
“When I was a kid and I was dreaming of becoming a jockey, the goals that I did set were being the youngest person to win the Triple Crown,” Napravnik told LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX).
While that specific youth milestone remained unfulfilled, her career accumulated substantial victories. In 2012, she became the first female jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks, a feat she repeated in 2014 aboard Untapable at Churchill Downs. She also secured two Breeders’ Cup victories and recorded the best finish by a female jockey in Kentucky Derby history by placing fifth aboard Mylute in 2013.
“I think that I sort of resisted celebrating some of those things because I didn’t want to be identified just for what I’ve done as a female,” she told LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX).
| Figure | Year | Historic Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Rosie Napravnik | 2012 | First female jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks |
| Rosie Napravnik | 2013 | Best finish by a female jockey in Kentucky Derby history (fifth) |
| Jena Antonucci | 2023 | First woman to train a Triple Crown race winner (Belmont Stakes) |
Following her retirement from riding in 2014, Napravnik transitioned into Thoroughbred aftercare. She established a program dedicated to retraining former racehorses for second careers in equestrian sports.
“I was sort of pressured toward the role of becoming a role model for other women and girls,” Napravnik told LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX). “And then I did start to really embrace that and feel, you know, well, if no matter what I feel, if I’m inspiring somebody else, I love that.”
Antonucci entered the industry through a different pathway, connecting with Thoroughbreds via her grandparents. She developed experience retraining horses before launching her career as a licensed trainer.
In June 2023, Antonucci became the first woman to condition the winner of a Triple Crown race when Arcangelo captured the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The pair followed that performance with a victory in the Travers Stakes later that summer.
“Everyone really wanted to frame it up and really fixate on the female aspect of winning that race,” Antonucci told LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX). “And for me, I’m a mad competitor. I grew up an athlete. I was always competing, and so for me it was more validating for the horse.”
“I think the sport needs to continue to lift each other up,” Antonucci told LEX 18 News – Lexington, KY (WLEX). “Again, no matter what the gender is, there’s room for everybody.”
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