Rosie Napravnik has her sights set on defending her leading jockey title at Delaware Park in 2011. While Opening Day for the 74^th season of live racing at Delaware Park is slated for Saturday, April 30, the 23-year-old native of Morristown, New Jersey, is planning on returning to the Stanton oval shortly after riding Pants on Fire, who broke his maiden at Delaware Park last year, in the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

“Delaware Park has been a track I can call home because my family and friends are close to me and I feel like the East Coast is home for me, so I really feel like I will be coming home,” said Napravnik, who notched her 1,000^th career victory at Delaware Park last year aboard Laughing Charlie on October 27. “I have had a lot of success, and I have a lot of business at Delaware Park. I also think riding on the East Coast and at Delaware Park will open up a lot more opportunities.”

Last year, Napravnik became the first female rider in the history of Delaware Park to capture the leading jockey title by posting a record of 126 winners from 529 mounts. She followed up her Delaware Park success by winning the Louisiana Derby and capturing the leading jockey title at the Fair Grounds, and in so doing she became the first female to win the Louisiana Derby and the first female to win the Fair Grounds jockey title.

Napravnik feels that part of her success at the Fair Grounds was because of the success she enjoyed at Delaware Park.

“Riding first call for Michael Stidham last summer at Delaware was a big part,” she said. “He is well connected in Louisiana, and having done well there and having the opportunity to go there and ride first call for him kind of gave me immediate respect, because people respect Mike and his outfit. Also, just coming off a successful meet and being a leader rider, I think, does a lot for your business, because it makes some of the people who did not really know you take more notice. Developing connections and coming off a successful meet definitely gave me momentum heading into the Fair Grounds.”

In 2009, Napravnik finished second in the Delaware Park standings to David Cohen; in 2008, she finished fifth. Her first career win came on her first mount, Ringofdiamonds, at Pimlico on June 9, 2005.

Napravnik knows defending her title will be challenging.

“Everyone works hard at Delaware Park, and it is very competitive,” she said.

But before Delaware Park, she will have the mount aboard Pants on Fire in the Kentucky Derby.

“I am really excited about it,” she said. “It is all happening a little sooner than I thought in my career, but I feel like I am definitely where I am supposed to be.”

But when will she make back to Delaware?

“I am planning on leaving Churchill on the Sunday after the Derby, so hopefully you will see me riding on Monday at Delaware,” she said.