There will be African Americans dressed in their finery at Church Hill Downs, but none will be jockeys on any of the 10 horses competing for the huge purse.
The last time an African American rode a horse in the Derby was in 2000, ending an 81-year drought of their participation in a sport African Americans once dominated and made them the first well-paid, sports super-stars in this country.
There are about 23 African American jockeys in the industry today, according to the American Jockey Guild. Currently, a lack of exposure to the sport and racial backlash against jockeys with Jim Crow laws in the early 1900s, are two of the main reasons why Blacks are not visible in the sport as jockeys or trainers."
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