Remembering the historic jockey who won the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875
Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history - some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.
Jan. 30, 1924: Oliver Lewis, the African American first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, dies.
Not much is known about Lewis. Born in Versailles in 1856, Lewis was 19 years old when he entered the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875 on the colt Aristides, also trained by Black trainer Ansel Williamson. Lewis won the race by two lengths in front of a crowd of 10,000 spectators.
Lewis was told to lead most of the race, but then to fall back and let the favorite, Chesapeake, win. When it came time for Lewis and Aristides to fall back, Chesapeake was far behind them so Lewis raced his horse on to victory. After more races that year on Aristides, including the Belmont Stakes, Lewis retired from racing.
Lewis and his wife, Lucy Wright Lewis, lived in Lexington and had six children. After working as a day laborer, a handicapper and a bookie, he moved to Cincinnati where he worked as a street asphalt worker. Lewis died in 1924 and was buried in Lexington’s African Cemetery No. 2.
This story was originally published January 30, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
