Willie Simms News Today

Black jockeys have a long-sorted history in horse racing as we look back on the 150th Kentucky Derby. 

How well do you know the history of the Kentucky Derby, America's oldest continuously held sporting event? Try this quiz.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Nine new members have been elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The class of 2024 is comprised of jockey Joel Rosario and racehorses Gun Runner (KY) and Justify (KY) in the contemporary category; jockey Abe Hawkins and racehorses Aristides (KY) and Lecomte (KY) have been selected […]

Learn about the African American jockeys who contributed to the success this equestrian performance sport.

Here are four legendary Black jockeys whose legends have been cemented in the racing hall of fame—and two who should be!

Author: Lindsay Griffin The Kentucky Derby is the oldest continually run sporting event in the United States.  It predates the Super Bowl. It predates the Wo

HOF jockey was a two-time Kentucky Derby winner whose skill as a horseman led him on a one-of-a-kind journey

Article by Brien Bouyea/NYRA: Ahead of the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes on Saturday’s card at Aqueduct, Bryan Bouyea tells the remarkable story of one of America’s greatest jockeys, who embarked on an epic journey across the Atlantic after his domestic career was blighted by racism.

In the 19th century, when horse racing was America’s most popular sport, former slaves populated the ranks of jockeys and trainers, and black men won more than half of the first 25 runnings of the Kentucky Derby until the 1890s, when Jim Crow laws destroyed gains black people had made since emancipation, and they ended up losing their jobs.

When Rich Strike bolted into horse racing's spotlight in a little over two minutes with his upset Kentucky Derby victory, he shared the stage with his handler.