Help identifying the artist of painting

I have a painting that I purchased several years ago in Washington State, but it doesn't have a signature on the painting itself. However, it does have initials on the back of the painting that look like JV to me. I was hoping someone would be able to help me to identify the artist of this painting. I also found it rather odd, but behind the painting was a photograph of the winner of a horse race, Willie Shoemaker, from 1970 at Hollywood Park.