For a long time, no one really knew. But recently, some jockeys and historians have begun to uncover the history of black jockeys in the Kentucky Derby. It turns out that blacks were a fixture at the Derby for nearly 100 years.
The first documented black jockey was Sam Haughton in 1875. He raced under the name “Dreadnaught” and finished eighth in the race. For over 50 years, blacks competed in the Derby alongside their white counterparts.
But things changed starting in 1948 when new segregation laws were passed. As races became increasingly segregated, competition between races came to an end. The last black jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby was Hines Ward in 1993.
Today, Churchill Downs is one of only two tracks in America where black and whites compete side by side during the racing season.