Jockey Vince Bracciale Jr. dead at 72

Vincent “Jimbo” Bracciale Jr., one of the winningest jockeys in the history of Maryland racing, passed away on Monday, Dec. 15. He was 72.

Between 1970 and his retirement in 1990, Bracciale rode in 20,290 races, earning 3,545 victories. Most of those wins came at Laurel Park in Maryland, where the jockey settled with his family in 1976 and remained for the rest of his career.

After making his 1970 debut at Shenandoah Downs in Charles Town, W. Va., Bracciale enjoyed brief but successful stints in New Jersey and New York. In 1974, he earned the mount of a lifetime when he guided Ruffian, then an undefeated juvenile filly, to victories in the Spinaway at Saratoga and Astoria at Aqueduct.

As a top rider in Maryland, many of Bracciale’s mounts are commemorated in venerated frames and bronze statues, progenitors of racing in the state for generations to come. His favorite of these was Dave’s Friend, whose long list of accomplishments included a five-furlong track record at Laurel with Bracciale aboard in 1980. Between 1978 and 1986, the iron horse went on to win 35 of 76 starts with more than $1 million in earnings.

“I don't know what it was but I got nervous before I'd ride him," Bracciale said of Dave’s Friend, per the Washington Post. "It was so exciting to ride him."

Bracciale also rode Broad Brush and The Very One, renowned stakes winners in Maryland. In 1980, he guided Weber City Miss to her crowning victory in the Black-Eyed Susan. He also returned to New York throughout his career and continued riding high-profile winners, including 1983 Gotham winner Assault Landing.

Though he is remembered by countless winners in two decades on the track, Bracciale might have made an even greater mark as a leader behind the scenes.

Over time, Bracciale earned considerable respect from his fellow jockeys, who viewed him as a leader for most of his career. He served as a director of Maryland’s jockeys’ guild and often weighed in on matters as their public representative. In a 2019 interview with The Racing Biz, Chris McCarron remembered that Bracciale used to put baby oil in his gloves to battle the harsh cold at Bowie Racetrack. It was a sharp and vivid detail, the memory of a young rider learning from a respected veteran.

After stepping away from riding, Bracciale stayed in the industry as a small-time trainer, mostly working for himself or close connections. Bracciale won 31 of 318 starts as a trainer between 1992 and 2024, never straying far from Maryland or the sport he loved.

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