Blacks became involved in horse racing in America in 1607 and ruled the sport from 1607-1910. The riders were slaves, small in stature and very young – mere boys, typically be-
tween 13-15 years old. It was a time when the intelligence, skill and ability of Black jockeys – let alone the very humanity of Blacks – was in question. Landowners wagered money, tobacco crops, deeds to farms, slaves,
or just about anything of value. The best master-and-slave racing teams were so successful they resorted to trickery to get people to race against them. One such story even involved our seventh president of the United States, Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson. Still another is that of a Black jockey who accumulated so
much wealth, he hired an agent to handle his winnings and negotiate the freedom of his entire family. The master and slave relationship in the horse racing industry blurred most societal and racial lines of the time. Essentially Black horse jockeys and trainers were treated like modern day jockeys were crowned princes from 1607-1910
