1875 Kentucky Derby
The 1875 Kentucky Derby was the first running of the Kentucky Derby.[1] The race took place on May 17, 1875.[2] The first Kentucky Derby was a 1.5-mile race, and the traditional distance of 1.25 miles was not established until the 1896 Derby.[3] Thirteen of the fifteen jockeys in the race, including winner Oliver Lewis, were African-American.[4] Attendance was estimated at 10,000.[5]
| Kentucky Derby | |
| Grade I stakes race | |
| Location | Churchill Downs |
|---|---|
| Date | May 17, 1875 |
| Winning horse | Aristides |
| Jockey | Oliver Lewis |
| Trainer | Ansel Williamson |
| Owner | H. Price McGrath |
| Surface | Dirt |
The winner was Aristides, by two lengths. His jockey was Oliver Lewis, his trainer was Ansel Williamson, and his owner was H.P. McGrath. Aristides' half-brother and stablemate Chesapeake also ran in the race. Both Aristides' jockey and trainer were black. Aristides's time of 2 minutes and 37.75 seconds was at the time a world record for the distance.
Full results
| Finished | Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time / behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Aristides | Oliver Lewis | Ansel Williamson | H. Price McGrath | 2:37.75 |
| 2nd | Volcano | H. Williams | George H. Rice | |||
| 3rd | Verdigris | W. Chambers | C. A. Lewis | |||
| 4th | Bob Woolley | William Walker | Robinson, Morgan & Co. | |||
| 5th | Ten Broeck | M. Kelso | Harry Colston | Frank B. Harper | ||
| 6th | Grenoble | J. Carter | Allen Bashford | |||
| 7th | Bill Bruce | M. Jones | S. J. Salyer | |||
| 8th | Chesapeake | W. Henry | H. Price McGrath | |||
| 9th | Searcher | Raleigh Colston Sr. | J. B. Rodes | |||
| 10th | Ascension | William Lakeland | William Cottrill | |||
| 11th | Enlister | Cyrus Holloway | Stringfield & Clay | |||
| 12th | McCreery | D. Jones | Gen. Abe Buford | |||
| 13th | Warsaw | Masterson | Stringfield & Clay | |||
| 14th | Vagabond | J. Houston | A.B. Lewis & Co. | |||
| 15th | Gold Mine | Stradford | James A. Grinstead |
Payout
The winner received a purse of $2,850. The second-place finisher received $200.[6]
References
Citations
- "Kentucky Digital Library".
- Kentucky Derby History, 1875
- Jessica Elliot, "Kentucky Derby Facts and History". About.com
- "The First Kentucky Derby". America's Library.
- "What Happened in 1870–1879?" The People History.
- "1875 Kentucky Derby Results Tables" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
Bibliography
- O'Connor, John L. (1921). "First Derby 1875". History of the Kentucky Derby, 1875-1921. New York: Rider Press. pp. 134–137.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)