The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1940-06-01
Negro Jockeys
Have Passed Out
As Competitors
Set Enviable
Record In All
Big Races

Why don't we have star colored
jockeys anymore
How do YOU account for the dis
appearance OF the skillful Negro
horse pilot from the American
turf.
NowHdA,s yuu won't ma single
ebony -hued booter on the licensed
lists
The question piled to owners.
trainers and railbirds brought
quick response.
fira, liorseman-"W White boys
aro mainly responsible. They made
He miserable for them"
Second iiorseman--"Yep. rode
them into pockets and blind
switcaes--'
Third Horsemsn-"Untll finally
gn owner didn't dare take a chance
on using a Negro OH a horse"
Foarth Horseman THAT was
years and years ago"
First Horscman They're never
been back since. You see some coll
ored jump hooters still doing their
stuff
Second Horseman--"Well, the
last colorcd jockey saw ride
was l.. Bsrcene around New York.
About 1929. Barcene got a bad fal!
one day. just like the others"
LILLEy THE BEST
Third Horseman -fFYou'll see
flocks and flocks OF colored exer-
cising boys. We have dozen or
more here at Hollywood park.
Lookit them with that set out there
pointing 10 the Clyde Phillips
.iuvcniles).
First Horseman--" Sure. Clyde
Van Dusen uses colored help al
most exclusively. So does MAORI
~ Of the kentuckians.'
Second Horseman-"The best ex-
ercise boy in the world is Negro
Marshall Lllley. Monks for Green
tree stable. He made Twenty
Grand. They call him the boy with
the stop watch in his head. lie
can work any horse to the exact
fraction, required"
Third Horseman- "Lilley must
he around As years old He's sure
good one"
These conversations about ex-
plains the strange case of the coll
ored jockey--bis virtual expulsion
from a game in which he won great
fame. Surely the records speak OF
marvels accomplished by ebony
hued lads in flashing silks in those
dim and distant times.
They tell the story OF Isaac Muir
ply. atop three kentucky Derby
winners, two OF them consecutive.
Murphy furthermore. rode The first
three winners in the Amer. AZ
Derby then the country's leading
classic. Another colored boy
Hamilton--rode the fourth Ameri-
can victor. Isaac Murphy whipped
the fifth home. Four out OF five
for Isaac.
Twelve Kentucky Derbies were
captured by Negro saddle aces Iea-
&C Lewis on Montroce: Allie Clay
ton. Soup Perkin. While Sims. and
j. WINFIELD padded TO collect the
race OF the Roses. WINFIELD
like /. Murphy--was astride two in
row.
Proctor Knott. whom Kentucky
still numbers among the eternal
favorites, always went forth unGer
colored reinsman--Pike Barnes
from Beaver Dam. Ky. AS a matter
OF historical record-the fret white
boy TO win the Kentucky Derby
handled Spokane when the western
horse trimmed Proctor Knott that
fatal nose.
NO COMEBACK LIKELY
Colored help galloped Gallalad-
ion through his yearling tests--ad-
vanced him to racing shape as a
two-year-old---tended to his wants
and cares through the past winter
and colored exercising boys
proppcd him for the Derby, under
Roy Waldron's supervision. When
one visited the stall OF Galldiia-
dion after the Derby the Groom
ing tunes OF a colored lad could be
heard above all else. This was Gall
lahadioE's boy and what hap
by fellow he was. Not for anything
in the world would he have traded
his place that day He had led CAL
lahadion before the high tribute
where Derby honors were accord
ed--then proudly led him back 10
the Milky Way barn. where he
cooled" him out. 3. for an hour.
after which he rubbed him down.
fed him and put him 10 bed.
VIII the colored ace pilot como
hack sometime? Will he try to re-
gain a place In the public eye-as
has been done by dusky track attn
letee. and foot ball players!
Horsemen shake their heads
pointing out there hasn't been a
colored apprentice boy in a dozen
years"
-ReDrfnt from the nefrotf Naw.