Black Roses: Kevin Krigger and the Chase for Derby History

This weekend, visions of mint juleps, big hats and roses will dance in folks' heads to the tune of "My Old Kentucky Home." The 139th Kentucky Derby is Saturday but for the first time in ages, people will see a jockey look differently than most.

Kevin Krigger has already made history this year as the St. Croix native became the first Black jockey to win the Santa Anita Derby. The 29-year-old will ride Goldencents Saturday in an attempt to become the first Black jockey to win since 1903.

When I heard about this, it reminded me of when I read about Isaac Murphy, one of the greatest jockeys ever and a forgotten pioneer in the history of the Black athlete in America.

I first learned about Murphy in 2007 when I was doing a Black History story at the LA Sentinel on different Black athletes than we were used to hearing. I stumbled on Murphy on a random search and then I realized how dominant he was. A three-time Kentucky Derby winner in the 19th century. A career winning percentage of 34%. 530 career wins before he died in 1896.

I learned more about Murphy reading William C. Rhoden's 40 Million Dollar Slaves and exactly why Blacks were so dominant as jockeys back then. They tended to the horses since the Revolutionary War and they knew them better than anybody. Murphy was one of the first Black athletes to be considered a star and made as much as $20,000 per year due to his success.

When folks realized the prize money was so grand, the push to make jockeys lillywhite came in effect. As "40 Million Dollar Slaves" lays out, the Jockey Club was formed and Black jockeys were not allowed.

Jimmy Winkfield was the last Black jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, winning in 1901 and 1902. When he emigrated to Russia in 1903, he was hailed as a hero and he continued his career there and later France. A reminder that Blacks had to often seek success abroad in the Jim Crow era.

Jimmy Winkfield

Another reminder of that era? Winkfield, Murphy and others become lost to history for many years as horse racing became White-washed and more genteel. Black jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Derbies but after Winkfield, they became ostracized as legalized segregation, jealousy, racism and money kept them in the background.

Personally, I've enjoyed watching the Derby for a long while. Just the pageantry, the beauty of the horses, hearing Tom Hammond call the race and wondering who's going to get my hopes up for the Triple Crown. The Derby gets me excited but the Preakness is the one I really watch because if the Derby winner wins that, I hope that we finally see a Triple Crown for the first time since Affirmed in 1978.

Kevin Krigger has a great chance to make history. He has been praised for work ethic and commitment to his craft. He's riding one of the favorites in Goldencents, who is partly owned by Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. More importantly, he's encouraging folks to learn the history of the Derby and Black jockeys.