Frank Robinson was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Champion Thoroughbred horse racing

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

, riding in the pre U.S. Triple Crown

United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...

 era, Frank Robinson competed at racetracks in New York State

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, and in Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 and Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

 in Canada as well as at Oriental Park Racetrack

Oriental Park Racetrack

Oriental Park Racetrack in Marianao, Havana, Cuba was a thoroughbred horse racing facility operated during the winter months by the Havana-American Jockey Club of Cuba...

 in Havana

Havana

Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...

, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

.

Given his first opportunity to ride by Edward Trotter, owner of a racing stable in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, in his apprentice year, Frank Robinson won the first five races at the Dorval Racetrack in Montreal then soon after won four of the six races on an afternoon card at Blue Bonnets Raceway. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DGw1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=WIUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1856,2723657&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en In what the New York Times described as a phenomenal performance, in 1916 Frank Robinson was the leading jockey in the United States

United States Champion Jockey by wins

There is no formal championship award given to the jockey who won the most races in United States Thoroughbred racing. However, it is a prestigious accomplishment always on any jockey's resumé and widely reported on by the various media.-Milestones:...

 with 178 wins http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9402E2DA113CE733A2575AC2A9669D946796D6CF as well as the leading jockey in Canada with 129 wins. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v18DAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_igDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4933,1732212&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xl8DAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_igDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3128,2748211&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en In 1917 he was second to Willie Crump in wins but led all American jockeys in earnings

United States Champion Jockey by earnings

There is recognition for the United States Champion Jockey by earnings but no formal award is given to the jockey whose mounts earned the most purse money in American Thoroughbred racing. The American Racing Manual shows that since 1910 the following jockeys headed the annual earnings list the most...

 with $148,057.
On April 3, 1917 Robinson won four races on a single card at Bowie Race Track

Bowie Race Track

The Bowie Race Track was a horse racing track located just outside the city limits of Bowie, Maryland. Opened October 1, 1914 by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Society, the racetrack was a major attraction in the area, serving the now defunct WB&A Railroad that drew passengers from New York,...

 in Bowie, Maryland

Bowie, Maryland

Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...

. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950DE0D7143AE433A25757C0A9629C946696D6CF For American-born trainer Barry Littlefield

Barry Littlefield

Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield Barak Thomas "Barry" Littlefield (June 16, 1871 - June 14, 1936 is an American-born Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer....

 and the preeminent owner in Canada, distiller, Joseph E. Seagram

Joseph E. Seagram

Joseph Emm Seagram was a British Canadian distillery founder, politician, philanthropist, and major owner of thoroughbred racehorses....

, in 1917 Frank Robinson won Canada's most prestigious race, the King's Plate

Queen's Plate

The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...

. That same year he rode future Hall of Fame inductee Old Rosebud

Old Rosebud (horse)

Old Rosebud was an American Thoroughbred racehorse whose pedigree traced to the influential sire Eclipse, and through Eclipse to the founding stallion, the Godolphin Arabian. In the list of the top 100 U.S. thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century by Blood-Horse magazine, Old Rosebud ranks 88th...

 to victory in the Queens County Handicap

Queens County Handicap

The Queens County Handicap is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...

 at New York's Aqueduct Racetrack

Aqueduct Racetrack

Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...

.

During his very short career, Robinson competed in one Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

, finishing fourth in the 1918 edition aboard Whitney's colt, Rickety. That same year he had an eighth-place finish in his only Preakness Stakes

Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...

 appearance. In 1918, Robinson rode Whitney's outstanding colt Johren

Johren

Johren was a Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in the United States. His most important win came in the 1918 Belmont Stakes.-Background:...

 in all of his races. Among his wins aboard Johren were the Latonia Derby

Latonia Derby

The Latonia Derby was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually from 1883 through 1937 at Latonia Race Track in Latonia, Kentucky. Open to three-year-old horses, for its first 52 years the Latonia Derby was contested at a mile and a half; in 1935, the race was shortened to a mile and a...

 in which he defeated the great Exterminator

Exterminator (horse)

Exterminator was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby, and in 1922 won Horse of the Year honors....

, and the Belmont Stakes

Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...

, in which he beat War Cloud

War Cloud

War Cloud was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was the first horse to compete in all three U.S.Triple Crown races. Bred by Jack Barnato Joel, one of Britain's most prominent Thoroughbred owner/breeders, War Cloud was sold as a yearling and brought to race in the United States.- Racing...

. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B03EEDD173EE433A25750C2A9609C946996D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B0DE5DF173EE433A25755C1A9609C946996D6CF Johren would earn American Horse of the Year honors. In addition to the Whitney stable, Frank Robinson also rode for prominent owners such as Joseph E. Widener

Joseph E. Widener

Joseph Early Widener was a wealthy American art collector who was a founding benefactor of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C...

, August Belmont, Jr.

August Belmont, Jr.

August Belmont, Jr. was an American financier, the builder of New York's Belmont Park racetrack, and a major owner/breeder of thoroughbred racehorses.-Early life:...

, and Frank J. Nolan's Beverwyck Stable. For owner Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller (publisher)

Andrew Miller was an American magazine publisher and Thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder who was a founding partner and Secretary/Treasurer of Life magazine....

 he won the 1918 Saratoga Handicap

Saratoga Handicap

The Saratoga Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It was open to horses three years old and upward and raced at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt.- Selected winners :...

 aboard future Hall of Fame inductee, Roamer.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AxoqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3IUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6480,5085648&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en

Death

On April 4, 1919, four days short of his 21st birthday, Frank Robinson was killed in a racing accident at Bowie Race Track

Bowie Race Track

The Bowie Race Track was a horse racing track located just outside the city limits of Bowie, Maryland. Opened October 1, 1914 by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Society, the racetrack was a major attraction in the area, serving the now defunct WB&A Railroad that drew passengers from New York,...

 in Bowie, Maryland

Bowie, Maryland

Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...

. An investigation concluded he was a victim of an error by another jockey. He was eulogized as "America's premier jockey" by multiple North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

n news outlets http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DGw1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=WIUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1856,2723657&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/380726411.html?dids=380726411:380726411&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+05%2C+1919&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=JOCKEY+F.+ROBINSON+DEAD+AND+THREE+HURT+IN+BOWIE+RACE+CRASH&pqatl=google. A contract rider for Harry Payne Whitney

Harry Payne Whitney

Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...

 on a first call basis, at the time of his death, Robinson was the highest paid jockey in the United States. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9802E5DC1E3BEE3ABC4D53DFB2668382609EDE

Frank Robinson had married Lucy Simcoe on February 22, 1919 and at the time of his death was pregnant with a daughter she would name Frankie. He was buried in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

, where he and his wife made their home. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DWw1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=WIUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4017,3075648&dq=robinson+jockey&hl=en