by Crystal Hubbard (Author), Robert McGuire (Illustrator)
The story of Jimmy Winkfield, one of horse racing's all-time great jockeys and the last African American to win the Kentucky Derby, in 1902.
Born into an African American sharecropping family in 1880s Kentucky, Jimmy Winkfield grew up loving horses. The large, powerful animals inspired little Jimmy to think big. Looking beyond his family's farm, he longed for a life riding on action-packed racetracks around the world.
Like his hero, the great Isaac Murphy, Jimmy Wink Winkfield would stop at nothing to make it as a jockey. Though his path to success was wrought with obstacles both on the track and off, Wink faced each challenge with passion and a steadfast spirit. Along the way he carved out a lasting legacy as one of history's finest horsemen and the last African American ever to win the Kentucky Derby.
The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby brings to life a vivacious hero from a little-known chapter of American sports history. Readers are transported trackside to witness the heart-pounding story of a vibrant young man chasing down his dream.
Front Jacket
Born into an African American sharecropping family in 1880s Kentucky, Jimmy Winkfield grew up loving horses. The large, powerful animals inspired little Jimmy to think big. Looking beyond his family's farm, he longed for a life riding on action-packed racetracks around the world.
Like his hero, the great Isaac Murphy, Jimmy "Wink" Winkfield would stop at nothing to make it as a jockey. Though his path to success was wrought with obstacles both on the track and off, Wink faced each challenge with passion and a steadfast spirit. Along the way he carved out a lasting legacy as one of history's finest horsemen and the last African American ever to win the Kentucky Derby.
The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby brings to life a vivacious hero from a little known chapter of American sports history. Readers are transported trackside to witness the heart-pounding story of a vibrant young man chasing down his dream.
Author Biography
CRYSTAL HUBBARD is a sports buff and full-time writer who was lucky enough to meet Arthur Ashe as a young girl. Her Lee & Low titles The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby and Catching the Moon: The Story of A Young Girl's Baseball Dreams have been recognized with several honors. Hubbard lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her family.