since his return, hes 3-0-0 in his past three starts, with a 0

BALTIMORE -- Rosie Napravniks motivation for winning the Preakness has little to do with making history. With a victory aboard Mylute on Saturday, Napravnik would become the first female jockey to capture the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. More importantly to her, though, it would serve as a triumphant return to Pimlico Race Course, where she launched her outstanding career. "You know what? It would be a great accomplishment, but thats not the reason I want to win it, because no other woman has won it before," Napravnik said in a telephone interview. "I just want to win it for my own sense of accomplishment and for all the people who have been rooting for me since the very beginning. It would be unbelievable to win the race, and I really believe we have a good shot." Napravnik, 25, finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby on Mylute, the best performance ever by a female rider in the sports most esteemed event. "The Derby was a great race," she said. "I mean, he just did everything right. He was a little farther back than I wanted to be, but thats just sort of his running style. He ran an excellent race, made a huge move around the turn down the lane, basically followed (first-place finisher) Orb the whole way. It was the kind of race that he will really move forward from." If theres such a thing as home-track advantage, Napravnik will have it in the Preakness. Her first career win came at Pimlico in 2005, aboard her first-ever mount, Ringofdiamonds, just days after finishing her junior year of high school. One year later, Napravnik swept the rider standings at all four meets at Pimlico. And now shes running in the Preakness, where she will become the third female rider to have a mount, joining Patti Cooksey (sixth aboard Tajawa in 1985) and Andrea Seefeldt (seventh with Looming in 1994). "Its always an advantage if you know a track well," Napravnik said. "I won a lot of races at Pimlico and I like the track. I know the track like the back of my hand, and I appreciate that fact." She can only hope that will be of use against Orb on Saturday. "Whether we can win the race or not, its still to be seen. Its going to be a tough race and Orb is definitely going to be tough to beat," she said. "Either way, Id have to say it will be one of my proudest moments." Thats saying something, because Napravnik has accomplished much since trainer Dickie Smalls sent her out on her first mount on that memorable June afternoon in 2005. Last year, Napravnik won 193 races. Along the way, she became only the second female rider in history to win a Breeders Cup race and the first woman in the 138-year history of the Kentucky Oaks to reach the winners circle. Her career has provided her many rewards and more a few broken bones. She has fractured her collarbone, wrist and leg, but none of that has stopped her from getting back in the saddle. "Ive always been impressed with not only her riding skills, but her competitiveness," said Org trainer Shug McGaughey, who has employed Napravnik in the past. "She wants to be a great jock, shes very, very confident of herself, and when youve got her, youve got a great addition." Its been eight years since her first ride at Pimlico, and Napravnik cant wait for the next one. "If I think about all the places Ive been and the things Ive done, wow, Ive accomplished a lot," she said. "But at the same time, it feels like it was just yesterday when I was galloping there when I was just 16. Time has flown by, but time flies when youre having fun, and I love what I do." Ultra Boost Canada . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. NMD Cheap Canada . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/y-3-cheap-canada.html . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Ultra Boost Canada Restock . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Ultra Boost 4.0 Canada . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. What do you need to know about the weekends big stories? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best. This is where we say, Morning, Joe.Torts is tops:?Coach John Tortorella, 58, became the first American-born coach to reach 500 career wins in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 OT win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. He has won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003-04, of course, but reaching this milestone is an impressive accomplishment as well. Is he the greatest U.S. coach? Like him or not, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he holds players accountable. He was fired by the Vancouver Canucks after only one season (2013-14), and his decision to step away from coaching probably saved his career. He took over in Columbus after Todd Richards was fired seven games into the 2015-16 season, and Tortorellas presence has been influential for the Blue Jackets. The results speak for themselves: He should be considered among the elite American coaches.Let the truth be told:?There was never a goalie controversy with the New York Rangers. While Henrik Lundqvist sat on the bench four consecutive games for the first time in his career as a healthy backup, Antti Raanta went 3-1-0. The brief hiatus as the No. 1 proved crucial for Lundqvvist.dddddddddddd Since his return, hes 3-0-0 in his past three starts, with a 0.98 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage. He now has 389 career wins, tying Dominik Hasek for the most wins by a European goaltender. Overall, Lundqvist is 14-5-1, with a 2.19 GAA and a .927 SP. He continues to make timely saves and hes made 87 on 90 shots during the streak. It should serve as evidence that he can take a few games off to stay fresh because Raanta is more than capable of doing the job.Blackhawks tightening up:?Just when you think the Chicago Blackhawks, winners of three Stanley Cups since 2010, are struggling, they rocket to success once again. Chicago has won five consecutive games and owns the best record (22-8-4) in the league with 48 points. With No. 1 goalie Corey Crawford (appendectomy) sidelined, backup Scott Darling has stepped in and has been outstanding. So, what happens after Crawford returns, expected to be as early as Friday? Its a no-brainer. He gets his job back. When that does happen, hell notice a better defensive team in front of him than before his illness. The Blackhawks are back to being the gold standard. ' ' '