At  age twenty-three, Vance Longden was training on his own and using his father to ride some of his horses. Together, and as part of the Alberta Ranches, Ltd. partnership, they successfully raced a number of horses including the 1953 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Royal Serenade, the 1955 U.S. Champion Turf Horse St. Vincent, plus Four-and-Twenty, winner of the 1961 Santa Anita Derby.
At twenty-three years old, Vance Longden was practicing independently and using his father to ride some of his horses. Together with Alberta Ranches Ltd., they raced several successful horses, including the 1953 Hollywood Gold Cup winner Royal Serenade, the 1955 U.S. Champion Turf Horse St. Vincent, plus Four-and-Twenty, who won the 1961 Santa Anita Derby.