April 25, 2013

Special to the NNPA from The Key Newsjournal

 

KENTUCKY – Black jockeys Kevin Krigger and Victor Lebron, both of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands will be the first Crucians to ever race in the Kentucky Derby. Krigger will ride Goldencents at the Derby and is ranked second and Lebron will be on Frak Attack and is ranked twenty-eighth.

When thoroughbred horse racing began, Black jockeys reigned supreme. From Oliver Lewis, the first Kentucky Derby winning jockey in 1875 to Isaac Murphy, who won three Kentucky Derby’s (1884, 1890, 1891) Black jockeys  were the sports heroes of the late 1800’s. It was 1902 when a Black jockey last won the Derby. That race was run by Jimmy Winkfield of Kentucky.

Many have predicted that Krigger could be the winner of the 2013 Kentucky Derby on May 4.

Earlier this month, Krigger won a total of four races during California’s Santa Anita meet. He became the first Black jockey to win the Santa Anita and did it riding Goldencents which is partially owned by former University of Kentucky Coach, now University of Louisville Basketball Men’s Basketball Coach Rick Pitino.

Kevin Krigger will be a guest on Key Conversations Radio Sunday, April 21st. Key Conversations Radio airs at 10 a.m. on WUKY-HD2. Listen online at www.wuky.org.

Category: Sports