Rosie Napravnik wins the Louisiana Derby again on 2014-03-29 aboard Vicar’s in Trouble, becoming the only female jockey to win the race—and to win it twice.
On March 29, 2014, Rosie Napravnik rode Vicar’s in Trouble to victory in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds for the second time in her career.[15] Having first won the race in 2011 on Pants On Fire, she became the only female jockey to win the Louisiana Derby and the only one to win it twice.[1][15]
In the 2014 renewal, Napravnik sent Vicar’s in Trouble to the lead and controlled the pace, drawing off to a decisive win that stamped the colt as a Kentucky Derby contender. The race showcased her ability to dominate a major Derby prep through assertive front‑running tactics, complementing the off‑pace rides she had shown in earlier classics.
Historically, repeating victories in major graded stakes is difficult even for top male jockeys, requiring sustained relationships with leading trainers and consistent performance at the highest level. For a woman in a male-dominated industry, returning to win the same prestigious Derby prep again was particularly significant, demonstrating that her earlier breakthrough was not a one‑off but part of a pattern of excellence.[4][9]
Napravnik’s dual Louisiana Derby wins reinforced her leadership at Fair Grounds and symbolized the broader transformation of women’s roles in American racing. By securing multiple wins in a key Triple Crown prep, she further normalized the presence of women not only as participants but as the dominant riders in important graded races. The achievement provided another strong reference point for future discussions of women’s success in high-stakes Thoroughbred competition.