Oliver Lewis [1855? 1856?, Fayette County, Kentucky - 1924] was the first African American to run in the Kentucky Derby. In fact, he was the winner of the inaugural Derby on May 17, 1875. The winning horse was Aristides, described as a 'blood-red chestnut colt'. The winning owner was Henry Price McGrath [d. July 1881]. The winning time was 2 minutes 37-3/4 seconds. The winning trainer was Ansel Williamson, posthumous inductee into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1998.
Isaac Murphy
Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924] was the first African American jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby. In fact, he rode the blood-red chestnut Aristides in the very first Derby. On that afternoon of May 17, 1875, horse and jockey rode to victory.
Thirteen of the 15 jockeys who rode in the first Kentucky Derby were black; young servants who cared for the racehorses owned by white men. 12 of the first 16 Derby winners were black.
Ansel Williamson was the first African American trainer in the Kentucky Derby. In fact, he trained the winning horse in the very first Derby. The winning horse, the blood-red chestnut Aristides, was ridden to victory by Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924], an African American jockey, on May 17, 1875.In 1998, Williamson was inducted posthumously into the Racing Hall of Fame.
Isaac Murphy was not only the first African American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby three times, he was the first jockey of any race to accomplish this feat. Murphy was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 1955.
Almost all if not all of them. In the beginnings the jockey industry was dominated by African Americans
Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924] was the winning rider in the first Kentucky Derby. Lewis was a jockey of African American descent. His winning horse was the blood-red chestnut Aristides. Lewis went on to become a Kentucky businessman in Lexington.
Fourteen [14] out of fifteen [15] jockeys in the first Kentucky Derby were African Americans. The inaugural Derby was held in the afternoon of May 17, 1875. The winning rider was Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924], an African American who subsequently became a Kentucky businessman in Lexington. The only white jockey was Billy Lakeland, who placed 10th on Ascension, one of two chestnut fillies participating in the Derby.
Fourteen [14] out of a total of fifteen[15] jockeys were African Americans at the first Kentucky Derby. The exact date of the inaugural Derby was May 17, 1875. The winning horse was Aristides. The winning jockey was the African American Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924]. The winning time was 2 minutes 37-3/4 seconds.
Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924] was the African American jockey who won the first Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in 1875. The winning date was May 17th, in the afternoon. The winning horse was the blood-red chestnut Aristides. The winning time was 2 minutes 37-3/4 seconds.
Yes, Oliver Lewis [1856 - 1924] was the first African American jockey to win a running of the Kentucky Derby. That victory was at the Derby's inaugural race, on May 17, 1875. Lewis' winning horse was Aristides. His winning time with his blood-red chestnut male was 2 minutes 37-3/4 seconds on the then 1-1/2 mile course.
Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby back in 1875.