Still in the saddle Retired jockey Buddy Winnett now beating the odds on a bike.(Neighbor)

Byline: Gretchen Marquardt Daily Herald Staff Writer

At the age of 14, Buddy Winnett says he "ran off with the horses," and traveled all over the East Coast and Midwest as a horse jockey and trainer for the next 36 years of his life.

And recently, at 59, he rode off with the wind, setting out on a 21-day solo bicycle journey from his home in Waukegan to Lakeland, Fla.

But Winnett has had to overcome obstacles throughout his life.

Born in West Virginia to a large family, Winnett was diagnosed with spina bifida, and wasn't expected to live past the age of 6. As he grew older, he dreamed of joining the Army or playing sports. But at the age of 12, an accident took one of his eyes, and he thought all of his dreams had been taken from him.

A heritage of horses

Winnett had always loved horses, but he didn't always know he had horses in his blood. His mother and …