James Thornton

Childhood and Early Career

Little has been published about James “Jimmy” Thornton’s early life and his entrance into the equine industry. Thornton was known as being a very quiet person who worked hard and was respected as a good man by his jockey cohorts.1

Globetrotter

Thornton first rode steeplechasers for Hall of Famers Mike and Paddy Smithwick before moving over to flat racing.2  He raced his first winning horse in 1962 at Bowie Race Course in Maryland. Thornton earned the nickname Globetrotter from friends because of the frequent travel he would put in moving back and forth between Laurel Park, Maryland and Charles Town, West Virginia to race and exercise horses. Out of nearly 5,000 Thoroughbred starts, Thornton racked up 490 wins and $1.4 million in earnings.3

Reflections and Legacy

After thirty years in the horse industry, fellow jockey Jeff Carle asked Thornton if he was still having fun at his older age. He responded that he was, “having more fun than I’ve ever had.”4  Unfortunately, that fun came to an abrupt end in 1994. Thornton died doing what he loved, racing horses. During the first race at Charles Town, he suffered massive head injuries from the force of a fall that split his helmet. He left behind six daughters and an ex-wife he was engaged to remarry.5

Sources

“James Thornton Jockey Profile.” n.d. Equibase. Accessed November 17, 2019. https://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=People&searchType=J&eID=2127&rbt=TB.

Perrone, Vinnie. 1994. “Jockeys Mourn An Old Friend.” Washington Post, December 14, 1994, sec. Washington D.C. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/12/14/jockeys-mourn-an-old-friend/f8535472-2202-4484-bd65-2653dd5278bc/.

Renau, Lynn S. 1995. Jockeys, Belles and Bluegrass Kings. Louisville, Ky,: Herr House Press.

Citation

When citing this article as a source in Chicago Manual of Style use this format: Last name, first name of Author. Chronicle of African Americans in the Horse Industry. n.d. “Title of Profile or Story.” International Museum of the Horse. Accessed date. URL of page cited.

• 1Perrone, “Jockeys Mourn An Old Friend.”
• 2Renau, Jockeys, Belles and Bluegrass Kings.
• 3“James Thornton Jockey Profile.”
• 4Perrone.
• 5Perrone.