On this date in 1891, African American jockey William “Monk” Overton achieved a remarkable feat by winning six consecutive horse races at Washington Park Race Track in Chicago. The day’s program comprised seven races; Overton secured victories in the first race, did not have a mount in the second, and then triumphed in the remaining five races.
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This accomplishment was unprecedented in American horse racing at the time. Overton’s record was later matched by fellow African American jockey Jimmy Lee in 1907, who also won six straight races at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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Beyond this extraordinary day, Overton had a distinguished career. He participated in eight Kentucky Derbies and, in 1897, rode the filly Etta to victory in the Kentucky Oaks.
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Overton’s achievements highlight the significant contributions of African American jockeys to the sport during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.