On May 14, 1885, African American jockey Erskine Henderson claimed victory at the 11th Kentucky Derby, riding a horse named Joe Cotton. The horse was trained by Alex Perry, a fellow African American and respected trainer of the time. This win continued a powerful legacy of Black excellence in early American horse racing. In fact, 15 of the first 28 Derby winners were ridden by Black jockeys—a testament to their dominance in the sport during the post-Civil War era. Despite being later erased from mainstream recognition due to Jim Crow segregation, pioneers like Henderson and Perry helped build the foundation of one of America’s most iconic sporting events.
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