PRĪVIT + ECHELON
About
Derby
Black jockeys were instrumental in shaping the early Kentucky Derby, with thirteen of the fifteen riders in the first race being Black. They won fifteen of the first twenty-eight runnings, leaving a lasting legacy. In 1980, the NAACP and the Lincoln Foundation honored eleven of these jockeys, and a commemorative plaque now stands in the Kentucky Derby Museum.
Derby is a tribute to these pioneers who helped build the foundation of the race. We celebrate their contributions in style—dressing in big hats and bow ties, embracing tradition, and honoring their place in history.
Oliver Lewis (1875)
William “Billy” Walker (1877)
George Garrett Lewis (1880)
Babe Hurd (1885)
Isaac Burns Murphy (1884, 1890, & 1891)
Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton (1892)
James “Soup” Perkins (1895)
Willie Simms (1896 & 1898)
Marion “Todd” Sloan (1897)
Jimmy Winkfield (1901 & 1902)
