Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-10
WHIT POWERS LEADING JOCKEY
Rode 325 on American and
Tracks Last Year.

Rode 325 Winners on American and
Tracks Last Year.
Vincent Powers, who led all the Jockeys
on the American and Canadian turf last
year by riding S25 winners, is a graduate
OF the Canadian racing circuit. His
home is at Panama, a small town in New
York state, not far from Buffalo and his
early instruction in the handling of thor
oughbreds was impaired to him by Trainer
John Nixon of the Valley Farm stable,
who took him up at Fort Erie as an ex-
ercise boy.
Powers is a well behaved and scrupu-
lousy honest lad of retiring habits and
tastes, no matter how great his success.
His career has not been that of a sky
rocket, for he has worked his way steadily
overcoming every opposition and without
any sensational periods. to the position
he now holds at the head of the jockey list.
The great factor in this boys success
has been his reliability and consistency,
coupled with his remarkable gift of horse
manship. Powers has the faculty, possessed
in a high degree also. by Tod Sloan, of get
ting more out OF his mounts than other
riders can. He has repeatedly demonstrated
that under his skillful handling horses
would run faster and stay further than for
any other boy. Those that used TO be beaten
at seven furlongs would stay a mile and
win for him.
Powers is alert at the post. but always
so orderly that he has never been In
trouble for spelling starts or for DISC
bedlence of the starters commands. Dur
ing the running races, no matter how large
the field or the natural eagerness of his
competitors to best the star rider, 1t has
come to be looked on as a matter Of course
that Powers horse is always kept well TO
the front and in a good position to make
the deciding run.
Powers wonderful ability as a hand
rider has been in evidence in several races
run recently at Santa Anita track, where
his mount, when firing and almost falling
in the stretch, has been brought home a
winner under his vigorous hand finish.
Powers started this season at New Or
leans, where he met with considerable sue
cess, having sixty-four wins, fifty-nine Sec
onds and f~ifty-six thirds to his credit, and
earning $35, S34 for different owners. whose
colors he wore. At Lexington, Louisville
and Latonla, Powers work In the saddle
attracted the attention of the entire turf
world. lie rode, while at those tracks
seventy-slX winners, forty-eight seconds
and thirty-eight thirds. for Il total of $S9. $50
1t was on the Canadian circuit where
Powers began his real struggle for the
leading jockey honors. The contest be-
tween Powers and Schilling on the northern
circuit was so keen and close that 1t was
one OF the most striking features of Can.
adian racing. Powers rode twenty-five
winners at Windsor, fifty-nine at For
Erie, sixteen at Montreal and six a
Toronto.
Since going to California, although a
times he has found Il difficult to max,
weight. he has ridden with the same con
sistency and has handled forty-eight win
ners at Oakland and Santa Anita. Power
rode in a few races in the east last sum
mer, but he did not have much of
chance to shine. In 1907 out of @1 mount
he rode but so winners.
Powers will ride in France this year 70
Baron Leopold Rothschild, who, II is re
ported. viii pay him a salary OF Sl5,00
Walter Miller was the leading jockey Il
1906 and 1901 and has the record for winning
mounts. more than 400 in a single year.