Buck Thornburg, who won the 1980 GI Florida Derby and GI Wood Memorial with Plugged Nickle and a division of the 1977 Florida Derby with Coined Silver, passed away earlier this week at age 86.
A native of Muncie, Indiana, where he rode his horse to school, Thornburg rode 3,433 winners from 27,258 mounts. He rode his first winner July 29, 1950 at Scarborough Downs in Maine.
Thornburg rode into his late 50s before retiring. He also rode the gray mare Luminaire to victories in the 1983 GII Matchmaker and GII Long Look, Willowy Mood to win the 1986 GIII Barbara Fritchie, and Jolie Dutch to win the 1980 La Prevoyante.
A memorial race will be held in Thornburg's name in the coming weeks at Gulfstream. He is survived by his two children, Marguerite and Jimmy, and five grandchildren.
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