CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — Charles Town native and celebrated jockey Vincent “Jimbo” Bracciale Jr. has passed away.
Bracciale began as a jockey in 1974. That same year trainer Frank Whiteley Jr. put the young Bracciale on the legendary filly Ruffian for an allowance race. They won it by more than 12 lengths.
A tribute to him penned this week in Racetrackers, Honoring Those Who Have Passed On quoted Bracciale as saying, ““Every morning when I got to the track, I was one of the early birds so I stopped by barns that were early birds and he was one of them. I had nothing to do for him most of the time, but every once in a while he’d have something for me. He knew my father, who used to ride, and I had ridden a few for him in Maryland so he knew me, and I guess he thought I did a good job.”
That race became a highlight of his early career. In later years, he worked with notable horses such as Broad Brush, Dave’s Friend, and The Very One.
He worked as an apprentice rider at tracks like Bowie, Laurel, and Delaware and was respected for not only his horsemanship but also his calm, confident style in the saddle.
Bracciale became a respected figure in Maryland racing as a jockey and later as a trainer.
In a career spanning 19 years, Bracciale rode more than 3,500 winners before retiring as a jockey in 1990.
During his hey day, Sports Illustrated ranked him as the sixth-best jockey in America.
Upon retiring from riding, Bracciale became a trainer in Maryland, continuing his involvement in the sport he loved.
He was a longtime director of the Maryland jockeys’ guild.
His peers remember him as a “class act,” a “great guy,” and an “incredible jockey” who was well-liked by all at the track.
Bracciale grew up in Jefferson County. He graduated from Charles Town High School which he represented as a state champion wrestler.
His passing has led to an outpouring of condolences and shared memories within the racing community.
Among those online, this attributed to Weston Hamilton:
Jimbo taught me many things . He taught me how to switch sticks , how others hold the reins vs how I should , he told me about the style of riders that are amongst the jockey groups today and how to beat them . He was a great man and it’s been an honor to know him as a great friend and basically family . From hunting and fishing to hauling / bailing hay , many memories with him and dad since i was a little kid . He rode with me to Parx right before I started racing professionally and I won my first race ever as an amateur rider around 17 or 18 years old . I looked up to him as a person and as a Jock and will always remember and think about the advice you’ve given me
Bracciale passed away on December 15, 2025, at the age of 71
