Basil James

Basil James
Basil James
Occupation	Jockey
Born	May 18, 1920; Loveland, Colorado
Died	April 10, 1998 (aged 77)
Career wins	1,527
Major racing wins
	Arlington Handicap (1936); Havre de Grace Cup Handicap (1937); San Pasqual Handicap (1937); Bay Shore Handicap (1938); California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1939); San Antonio Handicap (1939); Brooklyn Handicap (1939); Jockey Club Gold Cup (1939, 1941); Blue Grass Stakes (1939); Ladies Handicap (1939); Gazelle Handicap (1939, 1940); Huron Handicap (1939); Saranac Handicap (1939, 1940); Santa Maria Handicap (1939); American Legion Handicap (1940); Butler Handicap (1940); Fashion Stakes (1940); Juvenile Stakes (1940, 1949); San Vicente Stakes (1940); Youthful Stakes (1940, 1946, 1949); Ashland Stakes (1941); Carter Handicap (1941); San Felipe Stakes (1941); Wilson Stakes (1941); Palm Beach Handicap (1942); Withers Stakes (1942); Suburban Handicap (1942); Hollywood Gold Cup (1946); Jamaica Handicap (1946); Manhattan Handicap (1946); Discovery Handicap (1946); New York Handicap (1946); Saratoga Cup (1946); Whitney Stakes (1946); Metropolitan Handicap (1947); Toboggan Handicap (1947); Lamplighter Handicap (1949); Dixie Stakes (1955) U.S. Triple Crown series:; Preakness Stakes (1942)
Racing awards
	United States Champion Jockey by wins (1936); United States Champion Jockey by earnings (1939)
Honours
	Washington State Sports Hall of Fame (1967); Washington Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (2005)
Significant horses
	Indian Broom, Cravat, Gallahadion, Fairy Chant, Parasang, Alsab, Market Wise, Stymie

Basil B. James (May 18, 1920 – April 10, 1998) was an American national Champion jockey.

Biography

Born in Loveland, Colorado, Basil James became a jockey in California while in his teens and in 1936 at age sixteen he led all U.S. jockeys with 245 wins. After a successful 1937, in January 1938 he was suspended for ninety days after "grabbing Herb Litzenberger during the running of the seventh race" at Santa Anita Park. Once he served his suspension, James continued winning and in 1939 was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings.

Basil James' most famous horse was the Hall of Fame colt Alsab who was voted U. S. 2-Year-Old and 3-Year Old Champion male horse. Aboard Alsab he won the 1942 Preakness Stakes but his career was interrupted later that year as a result of his World War II service with the United States Army.[1] When he returned to racing in 1946, Basil James continued to win major stakes races on the New York State circuit. He retired from riding in 1956 but came back again in 1959 then in 1963 joined the staff at Longacres Racetrack near Seattle, Washington where he worked for the next thirty years.

Suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Basil James was living in a nursing home in Des Moines, Washington when he died in 1998.

References

"DEAD HEAT FOR 2D; Requested, Sun Again Runners-Up to Favored Alsab at Pimlico". The New York Times. 1942-05-10. p. Section SPORTS, page 1. Retrieved 2019-09-10.

Basil James at the Washington Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame

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[1] "DEAD HEAT FOR 2D; Requested, Sun Again Runners-Up to Favored Alsab at Pimlico". The New York Times. 1942-05-10. p. Section SPORTS, page 1. Retrieved 2019-09-10.