Napravnik to ride at Keeneland, Churchill Downs this spring

Rosie Napravnik will ride primarily in Kentucky this spring, scrapping her original plans to ride in New York, agent Steve Bass said Thursday.

With Bass as her new agent, Napravnik will ride at the Keeneland and Churchill Downs spring meets, then move to Saratoga for the summer. She then will return to Churchill for the new September fall meet and continue in Kentucky through late November.

Napravnik, easily the leading jockey for the third straight year at the Fair Grounds meet that ends Sunday in New Orleans, rode with some success last year in New York, winning with 73 of 587 mounts, then went 6 for 77 when she switched to Keeneland to ride the fall meet. Last spring, she became the first female jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks, riding Believe You Can to victory.

Bass said he also will continue to represent Alan Garcia at the same tracks this year.