Black Heritage in Racing Exhibit Book, Kentucky Derby Museum

BLACK HERITAGE IN RACING

BLACK HERITAGE IN RACING
From the exhibit by the Kentucky Derby Museum
Text
Kentucky Derby Museum
Design
Olivia Eckert
Hite Art Institute
University of Louisville
Class of 2023
The Book Forms class would like to thank the staff of the
Kentucky Derby Museum for the generosity of their time
and exhibit assets in creation of this book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 2-5
Chapter 1 6-17
Chapter 2 18-39
Chapter 3 40-55
Chapter 4 56-71

BLACK HERITAGE IN RACING
A HISTORY THAT WAS ERASED
Black horsemen played an essential role in the
history of American Thoroughbred racing.
Enslaved persons, assigned to the care and
As those that laid the foundation for the Kentucky
Derby, Black trainers and jockeys set many milestones
and records for Thoroughbred racing and the
The legal segregation that took root in the
late 19th and early 20 th centuries drastically
changed the trajectory of African Americans
Black heritage in racing is an ongoing story. The
remembrance of the past is met with the need to have
African American influence be part of the industry’s
management of the southern stables in Colonial
Kentucky Derby, which was first run in 1875. For
in the industry. With opportunities dwindling due to
future. This goes beyond opening a path for Black
America, also became America’s most prolific jockeys
example, inaugural Derby winner Oliver Lewis wrote
racism and Jim Crow laws, many Black horsemen fled
Americans to be trainers and jockeys. This also means
and trainers. According to Ed Hotaling’s The Great
detailed handicapping charts that served as precursors
to urban areas and left the profession, some would
a future in organizational leadership, equine ownership,
Black Jockeys, prior to the Civil War (1861-1865)
to those found today in publications such as the Daily
go overseas to retain opportunities with horses while
entrepreneurial endeavors and various creative pursuits.
and the end of slavery, Black horsemen dominated
Racing Form. Jockeys Alonzo Clayton and James
others stayed in America and worked in less high-
Just as the story of Black heritage in racing continues
the industry. Men like Austin Curtis rode and trained
“Soup” Perkins both won the Kentucky Derby at the
profile positions. By the middle of the 20 th century,
to unfold, so does the Kentucky Derby Museum’s Black
horses for a prominent stable in Virginia, the center
age of 15, making them tied as the youngest Derby-
the tales of African American dominance in the early
Heritage in Racing project remain an ongoing effort to
of racing in Colonial America. Charles Stewart, born
winning jockeys in history. African American jockeys
years of the sport began to be retold, and the contrast
preserve and document that story.
enslaved and working with America’s leading stable
were especially prolific in the early 20th century,
between that early success and their contemporary
owner prior to the Civil War, supposedly made enough
winning 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derbys.
status brought both sadness and anger to many in the
money training horses that he hired an agent to help
Black community.
him manage his funds.
6 | Introduction
Introduction | 7

The
Antebellum
Era:
The Great
Match Race
Kentucky’s history provides many stories of
how enslaved African Americans existed
within the plantation economy before
emancipation. One such example is the match race
between Wagner and Grey Eagle at Oakland Race
Course, located in the area of the city now known as
Old Louisville. The Oakland Course opened in 1832,
but the 1839 match race is seen as the historic pinnacle
of the track’s success.
Portrait of Grey Eagle,
a horse from the
infamous 1839 match
race, by Edward Troye.
8 | Chapter 1

Virginia-bred Wagner arrived from Tennessee with his jockey, an
enslaved man named Cato. Kentucky’s Grey Eagle was the local
favorite. The book Racing in America sets the scene for the race:
“People from all over the Union gathered at the course. Hundreds
made the long and toilsome journey across the mountains from the
Seaboard…Henry Clay headed the delegation from Grey Eagle’s
home town (Lexington) and throughout the stands were sprinkled
famous statesmen, military officers, jurists and other public men.”
Edward Troye was
known for his portraits
of Thoroughbred horses.
To the left is one of his
portrait’s of Trifle, done in
1832 and is now held in the
National Sporting Library
and Museum.
The race was scheduled for the best of three four-mile heats. Wagner
defeated Grey Eagle in two heats on that September day in 1839. A
rematch was held one month later, with Wagner winning two heats to
one. It is said the Cato won his freedom largely due to the outcome of
these contests. There are records of other enslaved jockeys winning
their freedom through their success as riders. However, in most cases,
top enslaved jockeys were seen as that much more valuable to their
owners because of their skill.
Grey Eagle was influential
in his time. To the right is a
portrait of him being driven
by Hiram Woodruff in 1850,
published by N. Currier.
American Eclipse, by Edward Troye, 1834.
10 | Chapter 1 Chapter 1 | 11

The
Antebellum
Era:
Ansel
Williamson
& Woodburn
Farm
Woodburn Farm is often noted as one of
Kentucky’s first great Thoroughbred
breeding operations. Thriving during the
Antebellum era, the person responsible for its success
was a Black man, Ansel Williamson, born enslaved
in Virginia around 1810 and now known as one of
America’s first great Thoroughbred trainers.
Portrait of Aristides by
unknown artist.
12 | Chapter 1

Williamson was sold to Woodburn’s Robert Aitcheson Alexander in
1864 in the midst of the Civil War. Among the horses Williamson
trained for Woodburn was Asteroid, undefeated in 12 starts and noted
as one of the greatest racehorses of his day. Notorious Confederate
guerilla William Quantrill unleashed a nighttime raid on Woodburn
in February of 1865, confronting Ansel and demanding the trainer
give him Asteroid. Williamson presented Quantrill with a different
horse, with the guerilla thinking he had the champion Thoroughbred.
Despite the potential risk to his own life, Williamson went to great
lengths to keep Asteroid.
Williamson’s training acumen continued after the Civil War. He
eventually went on to train for Hal Price McGrath of McGrathiana
Farm, where the trainer would condition Aristides, the winner of the
inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875.
Aristides was just as
successful as Asteroid.
Pictured in this illustration
here from Famous Horses
of America, published by
Porter and Coates in 1877.
The Undefeated Astroid, Edward Troye, 1864.
14 | Chapter 1 Chapter 1 | 15

The
Antebellum
Era:
The
Woodlawn
Vase
The Woodlawn Vase is the enduring symbol
of Woodburn Farm, commissioned by
Robert Aitcheson Alexander in 1860. It was
designed by Tiffany & Company and first presented
to Captain T.G. Moore, after a win by his mare Mollie
Jackson at Louisville’s Woodlawn Race Course in
1861. The Vase was hidden during the Civil War, as
there were fears that it would be stolen. Eventually, it
was awarded to the Dwyer Brothers’ Bramble for his
victory in the 1878 Great American Stallion Stakes
at Churchill Downs. The Dwyers brought the Vase
to Brooklyn, where it was a prize for many New York
races until given to the Maryland Jockey Club in 1917.
Pictured here is the
Woodlawn Vase, photo
from the Kentucky
Derby Museum.
16 | Chapter 1

Since 1917, the Woodlawn Vase has been the symbol of the Preakness
Stakes. Initially, the trophy was presented each year to the winning
owner, who would then bring it back for the following year’s race.
Since the 1950s, a replica of the Woodlawn Vase has been awarded to
the winning owner of the Preakness Stakes. The original is on view in
the winners’ circle but is kept at the Baltimore Museum of Art the rest
of the year.
This trophy is a replica of the Woodlawn Vase and donated to the
Kentucky Derby Museum by Leslie Combs II. As the breeder of
the winner, Majestic Prince, Combs would not have received this
trophy following the Preakness. Traditionally, that would have gone
to the owner, Frank McMahon. However, in honor of his lifelong
horsemanship, it’s likely that Combs paid to have this trophy made for
himself. He did the same with the 1969 Kentucky Derby trophy.
Photo from the Library of Congress.
Michael Lauffer, owner
of Shackleford, holds the
Woodland Vase in 2011,
photo by Jonathan Ernst.
Woodlawn Vase, photo by Library of Congress.
Jockey Javier Castellano
and a Darley Stabes
representative hold the
Woodlawn Vase in 2006,
photo by Jamie Squire.
18 | Chapter 1 Chapter 1 | 19

Early Years
of the
Kentucky
Derby:
1875-1902
The end of the American Civil War brought
significant social and economic changes
for African Americans. Thoroughbred
racing and the early years of the Kentucky Derby
continued to be dominated by Black jockeys and
trainers. African Americans made up 13 of the 15
jockeys in the inaugural Derby in 1875—including the
winner, Oliver Lewis, aboard Aristides—and went on
to capture 15 of the first 28 runnings. Jimmy Winkfield
became the most recent to do so, aboard Alan-a-Dale
in 1902. The trainer of 1875 Derby winner Aristides
was Ansel Williamson, a man born enslaved in Virginia
who would become the most important horseman
at Kentucky’s Woodburn Farm, one of the earliest
landmark Thoroughbred farms in the Commonwealth.
Prior to 1900, six other Black trainers would join
Williamson as Derby winners.
Jockey Oliver Lewis.
Photo from Kentucky
Derby Museum.
20 | Chapter 2

The 1891 Kentucky Derby is notable for several reasons. First,
although run at the original distance of 1 ½ miles, Kingman’s 1891
Derby pace is the slowest ever, at 2:52 1/4. Second, 1891 marked
the third and final Derby win for legendary African American jockey
Isaac Murphy. Third, Kingman was trained and partially owned by
Dudley Allen, who would become the first Black owner of a Derby
winner with this victory. The purse itself is a huge part of racing lore.
Supposedly, these purses hung above the finish line, the winning jockey
grabbing it as he crossed. It is also said that the use of the term “purse
money” in horse racing is directly related to the use of silk purses.
Accompanying the purse is a handwritten receipt stating that Isaac
Murphy received $250 for accepting the mount aboard Kingman and
an additional $250 for winning the race.
Portrait of Kingsman,
who holds the slowest
Derby winning time. Photo
from the Kentucky Derby
Museum, unknown artist.
Another view of the 1891
Kentucky Derby Silk Purse,
photo from Distillery Trail.
1891 Kentucky Derby Silk Purse, photo by Distillery Trail.
22 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 23

Early Years
of the
Kentucky
Derby:
Isaac Murphy
Isaac Murphy is a noted example of the success
and story of the African American jockey. A 2013
book by the late Dr. Pellom McDaniels III of
Emory University, titled The Prince of Jockeys, is the
first scholarly biography of Murphy. In it, the author
offers much new information about the champion
jockey. Many writers and historians could not reach
a consensus on Murphy’s parentage: some stated
he was the son of enslaved parents, others claimed
Murphy’s father was free, and others just avoided the
issue altogether. However, McDaniels provides the
most telling proof yet, via a Kentucky birth record
from 1861, that Murphy was indeed born to enslaved
parents who did not live on the same farm in Kentucky,
a familiar story of the antebellum era. Of course, the
exact birth date is muddled because birth certificates
were not issued to children born enslaved.
Jockey Isaac Burns.
Photo from the
Library of Congress.
24 | Chapter 2

The Civil War (1861-1865) resulted in the end of the institution of
slavery when Murphy was a child, so he rose to athletic prowess in the
postbellum era. He became the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby
three times (1884, 1890, and 1891) and the first rider to be inducted
into Thoroughbred racing’s Hall of Fame (1955). As a result, Murphy
is recognized as one of the greatest jockeys in Thoroughbred racing
history, whose achievements go far beyond wins and professional
accolades.
For example, when the Louisville Courier-Journal wrote about his
death in 1896, Murphy’s nickname of “Honest Isaac” is mentioned.
The nickname stemmed from Murphy’s unwillingness to take a bribe
as a jockey when such corruption existed in the sport. “Through many
years the premier jockey of America, he could have made fortunes for
others and lined his own pockets with thorough safety to himself,” the
paper stated, “But the most unscrupulous turfman (sic) never dared
approach him.” Perhaps it was his noted skill and honesty that led to
over 500 mourners coming to his and wife Lucy’s home after Isaac
died at the young age of 35 in 1896.
Isaac Burns Murphy, third
from right, at a rather
formal clambake in 1890.
Keenland Library Collection.
Photo from Keenland Library Hemment Collection.
Bottom photos from Keenland Library Hemment Collection.
26 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 27

Early Years
of the
Kentucky
Derby:
Jimmy Winkfield
A
native of Chilesburg, Kentucky in Lexington’s
Bluegrass Country, Jimmy Winkfield began
his work with horses in the late 1890s. He had
a short racing career in the United States, lasting from
1898 to 1903. However, he won many premier stakes
races such as the Latonia Derby, the Tennessee Derby
in Nashville, and the Clark Handicap at Churchill
Downs. He won the Kentucky Derby twice, in 1901
and 1902, and is the most recent Black jockey to win
the celebrated race.
Jockey Jimmy
Winkfield. Photo from
the Keenland Library
Cook Collection.
Due largely to segregation, Winkfield eventually left
the United States to ride in Europe. He rode primarily
in Russia from 1904 to 1919 with great success. The
Bolshevik Revolution arrived came in 1917 resulting in
a communist USSR and a lack of support for racing,
which was seen as a pastime of the wealthy. Winkfield
would leave in 1919, settle in Paris, France by the
summer of 1920 and again had great success as
a jockey.
28 | Chapter 2

In France, he met and married his second wife, Lydia de Minkiwitz,
retired from race riding in 1930, and started a racing stable in the
town of Maisons-Laffitte with land from his in-laws.
Winkfield and Lydia faced additional obstacles after the former
ended his riding career. In 1941, the Nazi forces occupied France
and eventually seized the family’s property. The Winkfields fled to
the United States for safety. Winkfield worked several odd jobs in the
equine industry, ultimately training a few horses before returning to
France in 1953. Winkfield came back to the United States in 1960
for a medical procedure. Winkfield used the opportunity of being
in Kentucky to attend a 1961 pre-Derby celebration at the Brown
Hotel, as a guest of the National Turf Writers Association. Because
of the strict segregation laws of the time, Winkfield was initially
refused admission through the front door of the hotel. Through much
discussion, Winkfield was finally allowed to attend the celebration.
He returned to Maisons-Laffitte and continued working with the
horses in his stable until his death in 1974 at the age of 91. He was
inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2004.
Jimmy Winkfield riding
the 1902 Derby winner,
Alan-a-Dale. Photo
from the Kentucky
Derby Museum.
Jimmy Winkfield on race
horse Pentacost. Photo
from Keenland Library
Cook Collection.
Jockey Jimmy Winkfield, photo from Race Post.
30 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 31

Early Years
of the
Kentucky
Derby:
Segregation
and Jim Crow
Group of Black jockeys
in the 70s. Unlike
earlier times, there
were only a small
group left. Photo from
Keenland Library.
The end of the Civil War, and the
Reconstruction period that followed,
brought hope for greater equality for African
Americans. However, a fight for greater civil rights
ended with the Supreme Court’s 1896 decision in
Plessy v. Ferguson, which permitted Jim Crow laws that
codified segregation in the South. So, by the turn of
the 20th century, the place held by African Americans
in the racing industry would begin to look much
different. Discrimination was evident nationwide,
at times manifested in physical violence. In places like
Chicago’s Harlem Race Track, white riders began
using rough riding and intimidation tactics against
their African American counterparts during races.
Jimmy Winkfield was the victim of such an attack in
1900 that caused bruising to his leg and led to cracked
ribs for his mount.
32 | Chapter 2

Jim Crow laws, combined with the devastation in the region as a result
of the Civil War, led many African Americans to leave the South and
move to cities, primarily to the North and Midwest. Consequently,
African Americans left behind the rural tradition of horsemanship,
pursuing fewer careers in the racing industry. The exodus of African
Americans from the South became so widespread by 1915 that the
period became known as the “Great Migration.”
African American jockeys also suffered from increased financial
investment in racing at the turn of the 20th century, a trend that
surfaced despite the efforts of antigambling forces in the East. This
investment made the riding profession more appealing to white riders.
The influx of money coincided with new licensing requirements
for jockeys, a policy that worked to keep licenses out of the hands
of African American riders. As a result, there are several instances
of African American athletes taking their talents to Europe, Jimmy
Winkfield among them. This trend went beyond racing, as African
American artists and entertainers went abroad as well. These
expatriates felt race was a lesser issue in many European countries.
The segregated grandstand
at Keenland in 1941. Photo
from Keenland Library
Meadors Collection.
Photo from Library of Congress.
34 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 35

Black Jockeys Who Have Won
the Kentucky Derby
Oliver Lewis, a native of Fayette County, Kentucky, won the first
Kentucky Derby in 1875. He never rode in another Derby. He later
became a bookmaker (a legal venture at the time) and wrote detailed
handicapping charts that served as precursors to those found today in
publications such as the Daily Racing Form.
William Walker was born enslaved in 1860 in Woodford County,
Kentucky. He won the 1877 Kentucky Derby on Baden-Baden and
secured a lifetime total of four Derby mounts. However, Walker might
be most well-known for his victory aboard Ten Broeck in a famed
four-mile match race at Churchill Downs on July 4, 1878, against
California-based mare Mollie McCarthy. In later years, he became a
noted pedigree expert.
Isaac Murphy is noted by many as the greatest jockey of all-time.
He was the first jockey to win the Derby on three occasions (1884,
1890 and 1891) and was part of the inaugural class of racing’s Hall of
Fame in 1955.
Erskine Henderson piloted Joe Cotton to a neck victory in 1885.
The horse was also trained by an African American, Abe Perry. It is
reported that Henderson later became a trainer.
Isaac Lewis rode in four consecutive Derbys, 1886 to 1889, and won
in 1887 aboard Montrose. He was born on a farm in Bourbon County,
Kentucky and began his riding career at the age of 11. He won some
of the most significant races in America from 1881 to 1891 but retired
from race riding in 1900.
Pictured to the right,
William Waker was a
leading rider during his
time. Photo from
Past the Wire.
36 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 37

Black Jockeys Who Have Won
the Kentucky Derby
Pictured to the left,
Alonzo Clayton was the
youngest jockey to win
the Derby. Photo from
Churchill Downs.
Garrett Davis Lewis, a native of Fayette County, Kentucky, has
historically been misidentified as George Garrett Lewis. He rode
Fonso to victory in the 1880 Derby. After the race, jockey Billy
Lakeland made an unsuccessful foul claim against Lewis, the first such
claim in Kentucky Derby history. About one month after this win,
Lewis competed in a race in St. Louis, Missouri and suffered injuries
that led to his death.
James “Jimmy” Winkfield, a Kentucky native, rode in the
Kentucky Derby four consecutive years and won back-to-back
runnings aboard His Eminence in 1901 and Alan-a-Dale in 1902. He
is the most recent Black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. He was
inducted in the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2004.
Alonzo Clayton rallied Azra to an impressive nose victory in 1892,
in a three horse field, becoming the youngest jockey, at 15, to win
the Derby. He was born in Mossy Point, Jackson County, Mississippi
in 1876. In his four Derby mounts, he had one first place finish, two
seconds, and a third.
James “Soup” Perkins, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, won the
1895 Derby aboard Halma as a 15-year-old, tying with Clayton as the
youngest winning rider of the event. Perkins, who supposedly received
his nickname for his love of soup, began riding at the age of 11. His
brother, William Perkins, was a prominent trainer at the time and
started six horses in the Derby. James Perkins died in 1911.
Babe Hurd, a native of Texas, won the 1882 Kentucky Derby aboard
Apollo. After retiring from riding in 1885, he began training horses.
Hurd died at Longridge Farm outside Lexington in 1928.
Willie Simms won in both of his Derby attempts, in 1896 aboard
Ben Brush and in 1898 with Plaudit. Born in 1870 in Augusta,
Georgia, he is the only African American rider to win each of the
Triple Crown events: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes in
Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York. He was inducted into
the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1977.
38 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 39

Black Trainers Who Have Won
the Kentucky Derby
Raleigh Colston is the recognized trainer of 1883 Kentucky Derby
winner Leonatus after years of newspapers crediting John McGinty
with this honor. Born enslaved in Woodford County, Kentucky in
1837, Colston’s career included victories in such prestigious races as
the 1870 Belmont Stakes and the 1883 Latonia Derby.
William Bird won the Kentucky Derby in 1884 by training
Buchanan, ridden by the great jockey Isaac Murphy. Bird had a
career in the industry that lasted over 40 years. One of his greatest
horses was Crickmore, a horse that beat 1881 Kentucky Derby winner
Hindoo twice.
Abe Perry teamed with African American jockey Erskine Henderson
to win the 1885 Kentucky Derby with Joe Cotton. The horse raced
into his 7-year-old season, eventually suffering a fatal leg fracture at
Boston’s Mystic Park.
Dudley Allen is the most recent African American trainer to win
a Kentucky Derby, with a victory in 1891 with Kingman. Allen was
also the first African American owner of a Derby winner, co-owning
Kingman with Kinzea Stone.
Ansel Williamson was born enslaved in Virginia. He came to
prominence as a trainer at R. A. Alexander’s Woodburn Farm, one of
Kentucky’s first great breeding and racing operations. Ansel’s name is
secure in history as the trainer of inaugural Kentucky Derby winner
Aristides in 1875. He was enshrined in the National Museum of
Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1998.
James Williams trained the 1876 Kentucky Derby winner Vagrant
for owner William Astor. Vagrant raced from 1875 to 1883 and had
an astounding 88 career starts. As a gelding, Vagrant did not have the
opportunity to become a stallion. It is said that the horse spent his final
years pulling a cart in Lexington.
Ed Brown was born enslaved in Fayette County, Kentucky. Some of
Brown’s earliest experiences with Thoroughbreds came at Woodburn
Farm. Initially successful as a jockey, Ed Brown later trained the 1877
Kentucky Derby winner Baden-Baden. He was inducted into the
National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1984.
Pictured to the right, is
an engraving of the 1883
Derby winner, Leonatus.
This engraving was done in
1886 by Henry H. Cross.
40 | Chapter 2
Chapter 2 | 41

The 20 th
Century:
Changing the
Narrative
Moving through the 20 th century, most
African Americans working in the
Thoroughbred industry held less highprofile
positions. Those who remained from the Black
community were often asked “Where are the Black
jockeys and trainers?” While riding at Aqueduct in
Queens, New York, jockey James Long was often
reminded that, for many, a Black jockey was a rare
sight. As cited in Newsday in 1974, white patrons
would assail Long with such phrases as “You better
win this one, or it’s back to the ghetto,” or “Better look
good, Long, cause you’re the only black guy out there.”
Long was fully aware of the legacy of Black jockeys
and cited his reverence for jockeys such as Jimmy
Winkfield in media interviews.
Iron Liege, winner of the
1957 Kentucky Derby,
photo by George Silk.
42 | Chapter 3

Hank Allen also faced such issues when he became a trainer in the
mid-1970s, following a seven-year career in professional baseball.
Allen’s most prolific horse, Northern Wolf, started in the 1989
Kentucky Derby and finished sixth at odds of 47-1. Speaking to the
Baltimore Sun in 2017, Wolf said that he largely enjoyed his Derby
experience but still suffered indignities that his white counterparts did
not. Many reporters thought his 1989 Derby bid “…was a hoax…a
stunt. When I pulled up and got out of my care the first time, I was
suddenly surrounded by a big group of writers and one of the first
questions was, ‘Hank, who put you up to this?’”
The Kentucky Derby hosted several Black owners in the mid-tolate
20th century. Many invested in horse ownership after achieving
success in other fields. Berry Gordy, founder of the Detroit music
label Motown, brought Powis Castle to the 1994 Kentucky Derby,
finishing eighth. Stanley Burrell and his family’s Oaktown Stable won
the 1991 Kentucky Oaks with Lite Light and finished third in the
1992 Kentucky Derby with Dance Floor. Burrell is known by many as
musician and recording artist MC Hammer.
Numbers from Kentucky Derby Media Guide, accounts in newspaper, and other sources.
MC Hammer cheering on his horse in 1991, photo from GGF.
44 | Chapter 3
Chapter 3 | 45

The 20 th
Century:
Will Harbut
Will Harbut and Man
O’ War on the cover of
the Saturday Evening
Post. Photo by Clem
McCarthy, 1941.
African American participation in the
racing industry suffered due to racism and
segregation moving into the 20 th century,
but the Black community by no means disappeared.
However, many held positions of lesser authority on
the backside of the race track. One example is Will
Harbut, the groom of the legendary Man o’ War.
Harbut became almost as famous as the Thoroughbred
in his care because of the fantastic tales he told about
the champion horse and his success on the track to
the people who came to see Faraway Farm each
year. Harbut would build suspense for visitors first by
escorting them around the barns, introducing them to
other notable horses, and showing them the antique
fire bell that was rung any time one of the farm’s
horses won a stakes race. He would end the tour by
bringing out Man o’ War.
46 | Chapter 3

Harbut and Man o’ War became a noted duo throughout their more
than 15 years together, and both were often used in publicity. One of
the most famous examples is their cover image that appeared on a
1941 edition of the once popular Saturday Evening Post. Harbut had
to retire in 1946 due to his declining health, but he would often slip
away from his house to visit with Man o’ War. Harbut passed away on
October 3, 1947. Man o’ War died approximately one month later on
November 1, 1947.
Man O’ War at Faraway
Farm. Photo from
University of Kentucky.
Will Harbut caring for
Man O’ War. Photo from
Keenland Library.
Photo from Keenland Library Hemment Collection.
48 | Chapter 3
Chapter 3 | 49

The 20 th
Century:
Oscar Dishman Jr.
A
native of Scott County, Kentucky, Oscar
Dishman, Jr. spent almost 40 years as a trainer,
beginning in the 1960s when the laws and/or
customs of segregation were still in effect. This had a
direct impact on Oscar and his family in the beginning
of his career. In a 2020 interview for the Chronicle of
African Americans in the Horse Industry project, his
daughter Marilyn states that, early on, Oscar could
not even buy a horse outright due to the fact that
he was Black. She also recounts a 1960s incident at
Cincinnati’s River Downs when her mother was not
allowed entry through the front gate even though she
was the wife of the leading trainer, Oscar Dishman, Jr.
The gateman assumed that successful trainer Dishman
was a white man.
Oscar Dishman Jr.
walking Silver Series.
Photo by Bert
Morgan, 1978.
50 | Chapter 3

Dishman Stables
Barn sign, courtesy of
Marilyn Dishman.
Oscar Dishman overcame the tumultuous 1960s to continue an
established training career. One of his top horses was Silver Series, an
award-winning three-year-old in 1977 that claimed such races as the
Hutcheson Stakes in Florida, the American Derby in Chicago, and
the Ohio Derby outside of Cleveland. Dishman trained mostly in the
Midwest from the 1960s to the 1990s, and Silver Series is recognized
as the best horse he trained.
Dr. Archie Donaldson, owner of Silver Series, campaigned many
horses with Dishman. Both men received attention for being an
African American owner and trainer, respectively, in an era when
few could be found in the sport. Marilyn Dishman donated hundreds
of items from Oscar’s personal collection to the Kentucky Derby
Museum in 2001.
Oscar Dishman Jr., photo
from Kentucky Derby
Museum.
Dr. Archie Donaldson with Silver Series, photo from Bahamianology.
52 | Chapter 3
Chapter 3 | 53

The 20 th
Century:
Eddie Sweat
Eddie Sweat, groom of the 1973 Triple Crown
champion Secretariat, was born on August
30, 1938, the sixth of nine children from a
South Carolina family of tenant farmers. As a youth,
Eddie worked on many farms, performing every duty
imaginable. But he loved horses most. He had worked
with trainer Lucien Laurin for many years as a hot
walker, groom, and horse van driver, coming to the
Chenery family’s Meadow Stable in Virginia with the
trainer. Once there, Eddie Sweat worked closely with
exercise rider Charlie Davis, also African American,
and the two became a duo known for their direct care
of Secretariat.
Eddie Sweat leading
Secretariat at
Churchill Downs, 1973.
Photo from the Post
and Courier.
54 | Chapter 3

Eddie Sweat was known
for his close relationship
with Secretariat and for the
bond they had.
When Eddie passed away in April of 1998, outside funds were
required to pay for his funeral. It became a major point for media
coverage, and it sparked a national discussion in regards to payment
of grooms relative to other workers in the Thoroughbred industry. At
the same time, some who worked with Eddie felt he may have spent
money taking care of others, leaving little for himself. Still, the Sweat
family didn’t allow this issue to interfere with communicating Eddie’s
love for and connection to Secretariat, as this was a prominent part of
his life narrative at the funeral ceremony.
Eddie Sweat and Secretariat, photo from the Post and Courier.
All photos from Post and Courier.
56 | Chapter 3
Chapter 3 | 57

Present Day:
The Equine
Industry Today
As is largely true for most industries,
Thoroughbred racing strives to be
representative of the country’s diverse
population. However, for many in the Black community,
the conversation about Black horsemen and women
in racing must go beyond jockeys and trainers to
other high-profile positions. Lamont Collins, CEO of
Roots 101 African American Museum, argues that
the occupations that should get the most attention are
those such as accountant and CEO, positions that are
instrumental both in front of and behind the scenes.
This is where the hard work needs to be done. Collins
states, “If your castle is just full of royalty and is just
full of bloodlines, you got a problem with your castle.”
Jockey Kendrick
Carmouche at the
Saratoga Race
Course, photo by Skip
Dickstein 2015.
58 | Chapter 4

Still, although rare, you will find African American jockeys at today’s
race tracks. For example, Louisiana native Kendrick Carmouche has
been riding since 2000, and, in 2020, got his first victory in the upper
echelon of Grade I North American races. The coveted win came in
the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York aboard
True Timber. Carmouche, speaking very emotionally to the Paulick
Report after the race, stated, “This means so much to me. This is the
biggest win of my career and I hope I have many more blessed ones.”
Carmouche, lensed by
Cindy Schultz for an article
in the Boston Globe about
being one of the few Black
jockeys left in the business.
Carmouche on True
Timber at the Cigar Mile,
photo by Susie Raisher.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche, photo by Grace Clark.
60 | Chapter 4
Chapter 4 | 61

Present Day:
Greg Harbut and
Raymond Daniels
African American owners Greg Harbut and
Raymond Daniels of Lexington brought
Necker Island to the Kentucky Derby with
their partner Wayne Scherr in 2020. Greg has deep ties
to the industry, as his great-grandfather is Will Harbut,
groom to the great Man o’ War. Greg’s grandfather,
Tom Harbut, was a life-long horseman and part owner
of 1962 Kentucky Derby starter Touch Bar. Despite
Churchill Downs officially desegregating in 1961, Greg
states Tom could not sit in the Churchill Downs stands
that year or have his name listed in the racing program.
It’s not surprising that with legal discrimination being
so pervasive for so long, that the social custom
took precedent.
Raymond Daniels
and Greg Harbut,
owners of Necker
Island, photo by
William DeShazer.
The 146 th Kentucky Derby, held in September 2020
without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
placed Greg Harbut and Raymond Daniels under
additional scrutiny.
62 | Chapter 4

The city of Louisville was one of the centers of a nationwide protest
movement of Black organizers and their allies, inspired in part by
the death of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor during a police raid. The
Kentucky Derby became a site of major planned protests, and many
involved in the movement urged Harbut and Daniels to boycott the
event in a show of solidarity. Although both men stated in several
media interviews that they supported the protesters, they felt an
obligation to be at the Derby due to the lack of African American
representation in the high-profile roles of the industry, as well as to
honor Greg’s family heritage in horse racing.
Raymond Daniels and
Greg Harbut checking in
on Necker Island after his
workout, photo from Greg
Harbut on Twitter.
Greg Harbut, photo by William DeShazer.
The presence of Black horsemen and horsewomen in the industry
is an issue that Harbut and Daniels actively work to support. They
have started the Living the Dream syndicate, to bring more African
American owners into the sport, and the Ed Brown Society, named for
the legendary 19th century Black trainer, which sets up scholarships
for students of color who have an interest in the industry. In 2020,
Greg told the Lexington Herald-Leader the following in regards
to representation: “The industry has been welcoming to us, and in
return, this will be good for the industry. Businesses that thrive are
ones that are diversified and inclusive.”
Greg Harbut standing
by Necker Island, photo
from the Lexington
Herald Leader.
64 | Chapter 4
Chapter 4 | 65

Present Day:
Preserving
Black Heritage
The African American community is front and
center in preserving Black heritage in racing.
In Louisville, Roots 101 African American
Museum and the Kentucky Center for African
American Heritage include the story of Black jockeys
in their exhibitions. Lamont Collins with Roots 101
uses the story to tie back to the roots of many Black
Americans in Africa stating, “From West Africa most
jockeys come from…When we came to America, we
knew horses. These young boys are 13, 14, and 15 year
olds, [and they] could get up on a horse and ride like
grown men.”
Multimedia work by
artist Dafri, found at
the Roots 101 Museum.
Photo by Marty Pearl.
66 | Chapter 4

The preservation of these stories has been greatly advanced
through the Chronicle of African Americans in the Horse Industry.
Spearheaded by the International Museum of the Horse in Lexington,
the goal of the Chronicle is “…to create an online, interactive archive
to house and display photos, documents, artifacts, and oral histories
of African Americans who have worked, and continue to work in
equine industries. Its users will be able to connect the past to the
present.” The Chronicle has connected with many African American
communities and trained historians to capture these stories, and its
organizers have included other museums and heritage organizations,
including the Kentucky Derby Museum, in their efforts.
Entrance of the
International Museum
of the Horse, photo
from Kentucky Horse
Park Foundation.
The Roots 101 Museum
in downtown Louisville,
photo from WDRB.
Lamont Collins, owner and operator of Roots 101 Museum.
68 | Chapter 4
Chapter 4 | 69

Present Day:
Celebrations
of the Kentucky
Derby in Black
Communities
The African American community has
always held celebrations to mark the Derby
season. In Louisville, many will mention
the Black business district on Walnut Street, now
known as Muhammad Ali Boulevard. According to
the University of Louisville Libraries, this area thrived
from the 1920s through the 1950s, and the theatres
and nightclubs, such as the Top Hat, were very vibrant
during Derby season. Nationally, the Harlem Derby
party in New York has celebrated the Kentucky Derby
and used the event to commemorate the sport’s Black
jockeys. In addition to discussions about Black heritage,
the event features a red carpet, and all the attendees
take the Derby fashion tradition to heart.
Stevie Wonder
performing at the
2018 Trifecta Gala.
Photo from Trifecta
Gala website.
70 | Chapter 4

The Bridgeman family of Louisville has created the Trifecta Gala
to serve as both a premier Derby Eve event and an opportunity to
celebrate the heritage of African Americans in the horse industry.
The patriarch of the family, Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman, is a former
basketball star with the University of Louisville and the National
Basketball Association and an accomplished entrepreneur. His
children Eden, Ryan, and Justin have taken a lead role in creating
the Gala. First produced in 2017, the Trifecta has hosted national
entertainers such as Jill Scott, Stevie Wonder, and Usher and has
raised money for the West End School, a college preparatory school
for at-risk young men; the V Foundation, which funds cancer research;
and the Dare to Care Food Bank, a leader in fighting food insecurity.
Photo shown above from Trifecta x Awards in the Arts.
Top left and photo to
the right are from the
2019 Trifecta Gala
where Usher performed.
2019 Trifecta Gallery, photo from Trifecta Gala website. All photos from Trifecta Gala website.
72 | Chapter 4
Chapter 4 | 73

Credits
All sources listed in photo captions.
Colophon
Chapter Title: Termina Bold 29/32
Chapter Subtitle: Termina Reg 21/24
Body: Baskerville Reg 10.5/17
Captions: Termina Med 6.5/11
Folio: Baskerville Reg 7/12
Chapter 1 | 75

KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM