The 1875 Kentucky Derby was the first running of the annually recurring race, taking place on May 17, 1875. It took place on the Louisville Jockey Club Grounds as a 1.5-mile run. The track was not called Churchill Downs until 1884 and the traditional distance of 1.25 miles was not established until 1896. That first Derby was a 1.5-mile race, and the traditional distance of 1.25 miles was not established until the 1896 Derby. For the first several years the betting format at this race was as auction pools in which people bid for the right to bet on the horse and the highest bidder then placed his bet. The bettor who picked the winning horse won the whole pot. Thirteen of the fifteen jockeys in the race, including winner Oliver Lewis, were African-American. Attendance was estimated at 10,000.
The winner was Aristides, by two lengths. Ansel Williamson trained him and H. Price 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 Jr. 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.
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