From the beginnings of the sport in the United States, people of color have made significant contributions to horse racing. African-American jockeys dominated the winner’s circle in racing’s first three decades. They were the first Black superstar athletes in the United States, and won 16 of the first 28 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. In fact, 13 of 15 jockeys for the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875 were Black.
