Oliver Lewis (1856–1924) was an American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. On May 17, 1875, Lewis won the very first Kentucky Derby aboard Aristides. The pair won by a reported two lengths, setting a new American record time for a mile-and-a-half race. Lewis and Aristides took second place in the Belmont Stakes, which is now the third race of the U.S. Triple Crown series.[1][2][3] He is the great great grandfather of actor Rodney Van Johnson.
Oliver Lewis | |
---|---|
Occupation | Jockey |
Born | 1856 Fayette County, Kentucky |
Died | 1924 Lexington, Kentucky |
Resting place | African Cemetery No. 2 (Lexington, Kentucky) |
Major racing wins | |
American Classics wins: Kentucky Derby (1875) | |
Honours | |
Oliver Lewis Way, Lexington, Kentucky | |
Significant horses | |
Aristides |
Lewis was born in Fayette County, Kentucky in 1856. After his death in 1924 he was buried in Benevolent Society No. 2 Cemetery, which is now known as African Cemetery No. 2.[4][5]
On September 8, 2010 the Newtown Pike Extension in Lexington, Kentucky was named Oliver Lewis Way in honor of Lewis’s historic accomplishments.[6]