TAMPA, Fla. — The history of Black jockeys in America is one that dates back to the first Kentucky Derby in 1875.
Oliver Lewis rode that winning horse, Aristides, crossing the one-and-a-half mile finish line in two minutes and 37 seconds.
Lewis set an American record in a culture that Blacks had previously not been recognized in.
What You Need To Know
- Bay area men promoting the history of Black jockeys ahead of Kentucky Derby
- Tampa Downs hosts award winning horses, eligible for the Kentucky Derby races
- Tarence Kinsey hosting Derby event at Tampa Bay Downs
- Gus Trent teaches life skills through horses in Plant City
Now, a former pro athlete wants to make Lewis’ story more well known in Bay area horse circles.
“We helped shape the Derby culture,” said Tarence Kinsey, a former NBA and overseas player who grew up in Tampa, hosts an annual Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.
“Tampa (Bay) Downs has elite horses and these horses are qualified to be in the Kentucky Derby,” said Kinsey. “Why fly to Kentucky when we have a state-of-the-art facility here at the Tampa (Bay) Downs?”
Others in the community also do their part in sharing Black culture through the lens of horses, like Gus Trent, the owner of Gus Trent Horse Ranch.
“There’s so many disciplines you can do with horses,” said Trent. “I started out doing cowboy mounted shooting, which is actually shooting off of horses. I’ve been competing for quite some time now.
“In 2020 I was The Florida Peacemaker’s Rookie of the Year.”
Trent now teaches riding and caring for horses at his ranch.
“There’s life skills you learn with horses,” said Trent. “I was probably the most impatient person before I rode horses. I had to learn. You can get frustrated, and that horse will be like ‘ok whatever.’
“I had to learn to be patient.”
Some of these life lessons are what inspired Trent to pass down his knowledge.
“When I was a kid, I didn’t have a lot of high self-esteem,” he said. “So, as I got into horses, it built my self-esteem and let me be more confident. It’s important for kids to learn these lessons young.”
Trent, much like Kinsey, also throws an annual event to highlight African American’s history with horses.
“This is something I want to bring to Tampa,” said Kinsey. “This is a part of our culture.”
Kinsey’s Kentucky Derby is April 1 at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Kentucky Derby is May 6.