Oliver Lewis
Oliver Lewis (1856–1924) was an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. On May 17, 1875, Lewis won the very first Kentucky Derby aboard Aristides. The pair won by a reported two lengths, setting a new American record time for a mile-and-a-half race. Lewis and Aristides took second place in the Belmont Stakes, which is now the third race of the U.S. Triple Crown series.[1][2][3] He is the great great grandfather of actor Rodney Van Johnson.
| Oliver Lewis | |
|---|---|
Oliver Lewis, winning jockey of the first Kentucky Derby | |
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | 1856 Fayette County, Kentucky |
| Died | 1924 Lexington, Kentucky |
| Resting place | African Cemetery No. 2 (Lexington, Kentucky) |
| Major racing wins | |
| American Classics wins: Kentucky Derby (1875) | |
| Honours | |
| Oliver Lewis Way, Lexington, Kentucky | |
| Significant horses | |
| Aristides | |
Lewis was born in Fayette County, Kentucky in 1856. After his death in 1924 he was buried in Benevolent Society No. 2 Cemetery, which is now known as African Cemetery No. 2.[4][5]
On September 8, 2010 the Newtown Pike Extension in Lexington, Kentucky was named Oliver Lewis Way in honor of Lewis’s historic accomplishments.[6]
References edit
- ^ "The Kentucky Derby's Forgotten Jockeys - African American jockeys once dominated the track". Smithsonian Institution. 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- ^ "Jockeys, Kentucky Derby (1875-2017)" (PDF). Churchill Downs Incorporated. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-11-01.
- ^ . YouTube. Lexington Public Library. Archived from the original on 2016-01-04. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Oliver Lewis". ky.gov. Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "African Cemetery No. 2". africancemeteryno2.org. African Cemetery No. 2 Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
- ^ "What you may not know about Lexington's newest road". Lexington Herald-Leader. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2018-11-01.