Vincent Minford Powers (June 6, 1891 – October 19, 1966) was an American Champion

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

and trainer who competed in both

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

and steeplechase racing. He rode the winning horse

Wintergreen Wintergreen is a group of aromatic plants. The term "wintergreen" once commonly referred to plants that remain green (continue photosynthesis) throughout the winter. The term "evergreen" is now more commonly used for this characteristic. Mos ...

in the 1909 Kentucky Derby and in 1927 and 1928 rode

Jolly Roger Jolly Roger is the traditional English name for the flags flown to identify a pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the later part of the Golden Age of Piracy). The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly ...

to back-to-back wins in the most important steeplechase race in the United States, the

American Grand National The Grand National Hurdle Stakes is an American National Steeplechase Association sanctioned steeplechase race run each fall at Far Hills, New Jersey. It is a Grade 1 event run over miles. It has been known by a variety of names over the years, i ...

. He was inducted into the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 1955, the museum moved to its current location on Union Av ...

in 2015 as well as the Chautauqua County, New York Sports Hall of Fame in formal ceremonies held on February 16, 2015. In his early teens, Vincent Powers went to Canada where he worked at the

Fort Erie Race Track Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, that opened on June 16, 1897. The racetrack is often referred to as "the border oval" because of the track's proximity (barely a mile as the crow flies) to the U.S. ...

as an exercise rider. That job led to his career as a jockey, the training for which came when he was managed by future

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The H ...

trainer John Nixon. In 1908 and 1909, Vincent Powers earned national riding championships when he won more races than any other jockey in United States flat racing.Churchill Downs Incorporated. kenuckyderby.com Annual Leading Jockeys
Retrieved June 23, 2018 In 1917 he became the first jockey in American racing to win a National Championship in both steeplechase and flat racing.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Vincent 1891 births 1966 deaths People from Westfield, New York Sportspeople from Chautauqua County, New York American jockeys American Champion jockeys Steeplechase (horse racing)