Winkfield was born in Chilesburg, Kentucky (now part of Lexington, Kentucky) and began his career as a jockey in 1898 at age sixteen. He was suspended for one year after one race for his involvement in a four-horse accident at the starting gate.[3] However, he returned in 1900 to ride Thrive in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third. He rode in the race again in 1901 and 1902, winning on His Eminence and Alan-a-Dale respectively.[3] In 1901, he won 220 races. He competed in his final Derby in 1903, finishing second on Early.
Winkfield was blackballed in the US after dishonoring a contract to ride for an owner by agreeing to ride for a different owner, but he was offered a chance to race in Russia, where he quickly rose to fame.[4] He won the Russian Oaks five times, the Russian Derby four times, the Czar's Prize on three occasions, and the Warsaw Derby twice. The Russian Revolution caused him to leave the country in 1917, and he moved to France where he resumed racing, scoring numerous wins including the Prix du Président de la République, Grand Prix de Deauville, and Prix Eugène Adam. He retired as a jockey at age fifty having won more than 2,500 races, then began a second successful career as a horse trainer.
While he was treated with respect in Europe, segregation still ruled American society. When Sports Illustrated invited Winkfield to a reception at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in 1961, he was told he could not enter by the front door. He was admitted after the magazine explained that he was an invited guest.[5][6] Winkfield made an appearance at the Kentucky Derby that year to celebrate 60 years since his historic victories. In 2004, he was inducted posthumously into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack is run in his honor.
In 2005, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Winkfield. The full details can be read at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.[7]
Referencesedit
Hotaling, E. Wink: The Incredible Life and Epic Journey of Jimmy Winkfield, (2004) McGraw-Hill Education ISBN0-07-141862-8
Drape, Joe Black Maestro : The Epic Life of an American Legend (2006) William Morrow ISBN0-06-053729-9
Davies, Nelly Jockey noir et célèbre – Mon père cet inconnu (2009) Rocher (Editions du) ISBN978-2-268-06671-4
^ ab"Through his thirties, Winkfield indicated he was born about 1880, but as we’ll see, in his forties he began to take two years off his age, apparently to improve his chances of getting hired to ride. He would make his birth date April 12, 1882, but there are no other records confirming this." Hotaling, Ed (2005). Wink. McGraw-Hill Education. p. 300. ISBN0071418628.
^Gerald L. Smith (2015). The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia. University Press of Kentucky. p. 536. ISBN9780813160658.
African-Americans in the Kentucky Derby (at the Derby's official web site)
James Winkfield at Britannica Online
1921 passport photo ; James Winkfield
January 01, 1970
jimmy, winkfield, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, addin. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Jimmy Winkfield news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message James Winkfield April 12 c 1880 1882 1 March 23 1974 was a Thoroughbred jockey and horse trainer from Kentucky best remembered as the last African American to ride a winner in the Kentucky Derby 1902 2 Jimmy WinkfieldWinkfield aboard Alan a Dale in 1902OccupationJockeyBornApril 12 c 1880 1882 1 Chilesburg KentuckyDiedMarch 23 1974 1974 03 23 aged 91 SpouseLydia de MinkiwitzCareer wins2 600 Major racing winsClark Handicap 1901 Tennessee Derby 1901 Latonia Derby 1901 Moscow Derby 2 Russian Derby 3 Russian Oaks 5 Warsaw Derby 2 Grosser Preis von Baden 1909 Prix Eugene AdamPrix du President de la Republique 1922 Grand Prix de Deauville 1922 Criterium de Maisons Laffitte 1927 American Classics wins Kentucky Derby 1901 1902 Racing awardsRussian Champion Jockey 3 times HonoursNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame 2004 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct RacetrackU S House of Representatives Resolution 231 honoring the life of Jimmy WinkfieldSignificant horsesHis Eminence Alan a Dale McChesney Winkfield was born in Chilesburg Kentucky now part of Lexington Kentucky and began his career as a jockey in 1898 at age sixteen He was suspended for one year after one race for his involvement in a four horse accident at the starting gate 3 However he returned in 1900 to ride Thrive in the Kentucky Derby finishing third He rode in the race again in 1901 and 1902 winning on His Eminence and Alan a Dale respectively 3 In 1901 he won 220 races He competed in his final Derby in 1903 finishing second on Early Winkfield was blackballed in the US after dishonoring a contract to ride for an owner by agreeing to ride for a different owner but he was offered a chance to race in Russia where he quickly rose to fame 4 He won the Russian Oaks five times the Russian Derby four times the Czar s Prize on three occasions and the Warsaw Derby twice The Russian Revolution caused him to leave the country in 1917 and he moved to France where he resumed racing scoring numerous wins including the Prix du President de la Republique Grand Prix de Deauville and Prix Eugene Adam He retired as a jockey at age fifty having won more than 2 500 races then began a second successful career as a horse trainer Winkfield lived on a farm near the Hippodrome de Maisons Laffitte racetrack in Maisons Laffitte on the outskirts of Paris He remained there until fleeing the German occupation of France during World War II After the war he eventually returned to the farm at Maisons Laffitte where he lived until his death in 1974 While he was treated with respect in Europe segregation still ruled American society When Sports Illustrated invited Winkfield to a reception at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in 1961 he was told he could not enter by the front door He was admitted after the magazine explained that he was an invited guest 5 6 Winkfield made an appearance at the Kentucky Derby that year to celebrate 60 years since his historic victories In 2004 he was inducted posthumously into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack is run in his honor In 2005 the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring Winkfield The full details can be read at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame 7 References editHotaling E Wink The Incredible Life and Epic Journey of Jimmy Winkfield 2004 McGraw Hill Education ISBN 0 07 141862 8 Drape Joe Black Maestro The Epic Life of an American Legend 2006 William Morrow ISBN 0 06 053729 9 Davies Nelly Jockey noir et celebre Mon pere cet inconnu 2009 Rocher Editions du ISBN 978 2 268 06671 4 a b Through his thirties Winkfield indicated he was born about 1880 but as we ll see in his forties he began to take two years off his age apparently to improve his chances of getting hired to ride He would make his birth date April 12 1882 but there are no other records confirming this Hotaling Ed 2005 Wink McGraw Hill Education p 300 ISBN 0071418628 Gerald L Smith 2015 The Kentucky African American Encyclopedia University Press of Kentucky p 536 ISBN 9780813160658 a b James Winkfield AMERICAN JOCKEY Encyclopaedia Britannica Watson Elwood November 21 2007 JIMMY WINKFIELD 1882 1974 McKenzie Sheena February 22 2013 The forgotten godfathers of black American sport CNN Winkler Lisa April 23 2009 The Kentucky Derby s Forgotten Jockeys Smithsonian Institution Jimmy Winkfield at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of FameExternal links editAfrican Americans in the Kentucky Derby at the Derby s official web site African Americans in the Thoroughbred Industry at the Paris Bourbon County Public Library s web site James Winkfield at Britannica Online nelly davies com author of Jockey noir et celebre Mon pere cet inconnu 1921 passport photo James Winkfield Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jimmy Winkfield amp oldid 1222645658, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
