Anna Rose Napravnik

I had the good fortune of meeting jockey Julie Krone when I was much younger and she was making a name for herself in the racing world. She got her start riding horses in her backyard and learned to do such "circus tricks" (as she called them) as riding barefooted, standing up on the back of a horse,when she was a young girl. She was a fierce competitor, about a tough as they come and yet totally focused on her goal which was to be a world class jockey. Which she, of course, became.

Along the way, she also destroyed a lot of stereotypes about female jockeys and broke down barriers that today, seem almost second nature. In the masculine world of the backstretch, however, Julie Krone paved the way for a lot of the next generation's female jockeys and they all know it.

One of those currently breaking in to the big time is Nicanor's jockey of late, Anna Rose Napravnik. Take a look at this video here and see why she is a perfect match for Nicanor. In a nutshell, they share the attitude of "can do" as well as the determination that seems to run in the blood of Dynaformer-La Ville Rouge offspring. I love it that she also tips her hat to Julie.

We all stand on the shoulders of those who come before us, especially those who opened doors, and it's great when the next generation acknowledges their debt to the first. I hope Michael Matz does not feel compelled to change jockeys mid-stream. These two seem like a perfect match.