Rosie Napravnik, Scott Lake and Robert Cole wrapped up year-end titles at the
major Maryland tracks for the calendar year in the jockey, trainer and owner
divisions respectively after Saturday’s final card of the season at Laurel Park.
Despite riding in the colony full-time for six months, Napravnik won her
second riding championship in the state with 101 victories at Laurel and Pimlico
Race Course during 2008, including 88 during the first two meets of the year.
Craig Gibbs, who began the year as an apprentice, finished second, with 94 trips
to the winner’s circle. After missing three months with a broken leg, the
20-year-old Napravnik returned to Laurel for the month of November before
relocating to New York earlier this month.
“We had a really good winter meet (winning the stand with 62 victories) and
did very well at Pimlico,” said Napravnik, who finished sixth nationally with
300 victories in 2006. “It was frustrating to get injured again, but when
healthy, we had a good year.”
Lake, the nation’s second leading conditioner, saddled 113 winners at the
major Maryland tracks during the campaign, 59 more than Dale Capuano, to win his
fourth consecutive title. The Lake barn had 25 multiple-win days while capturing
the Laurel winter, Pimlico spring and Laurel fall titles. The 43-year-old
conditioner, who has horses stabled in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York,
Delaware and Florida, has won 830 races at Pimlico and Laurel this decade. Only
Capuano, who has visited the winner’s circle 831 times at the major Maryland
tracks since 2000, has more victories.
“I am in awe when you sit back and think about what we accomplished,” said
Lake, who ranks eighth all-time with 4,502 career winners. “I just wanted to
train horses and it turned into this. We are proud of what we have achieved. I
have to thank my Maryland assistant Hugh McMahon and before him Tim Hooper. They
do an unbelievable job and it is a pleasure having them on my team.”
Cole, whose trainers include Lake, Howard Wolfendale and John Rigattieri, is
the state’s top owner for the third straight year. Cole runners won 39 times
from 118 starts, an impressive 33.1 percent rate, including four with four
different trainers at Pimlico on May 9. The Baltimore County native currently
leads the nation in wins (232 through Laurel’s Saturday program) and ranks in
the top 15 in earnings.
“It has been fun. The trainers get these horses to run and work very hard,”
Cole said. “The highlight of the year was May 9. I actually won three additional
races that night at Penn National and Charles Town so that was a once in a
lifetime accomplishment. My theory is not to waste races and not to put a horse
in a race without a chance of winning. I am hoping to be a finalist for an
Eclipse Award and get a trip to Miami in February for the dinner.”
Cole and Lake will be honored at Laurel between races on January 19, 2009.
Apprentice Sheldon Russell won the Laurel Park fall riding title with 48
trips to the winner’s circle during the 17-week stand.
The 2009 racing season will begin Thursday. The 59-day stand will feature 17
stakes races, including a pair of Grade 2 sprint handicaps (the Barbara Fritchie
and General George) on Presidents’ Day weekend. Live racing will be conducted
four days a week on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule (with holiday
exceptions). First post is 12:35 p.m. (EST).