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Few blacks feel connected to Derby
Posted: Thursday May 04, 2000 04:17 PM
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Few blacks feel connected to the Kentucky Derby and some of the state's minority leaders want to reverse that apathy by getting more blacks involved in the racing industry. In 1999, 91 percent of the patrons at Churchill Downs were white and only 7 percent were black, according to a customer survey. The disparity correlates to the percentage of blacks in Kentucky but not with the percentage who live in Louisville -- 17.7 percent. The black community's disinterest in horse racing and the state's biggest sporting event saddens Winchester bloodstock agent Wallace Howard, mainly because of the impact blacks have had on the Derby's history. African-American jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Derbies and blacks trained six of the first 17 Derby champions. "We have a long history with this sport -- it was built on the backs of black jockeys and trainers," said Howard. "We should be involved in every aspect of the sport as we were up until the turn of the century." Howard, through his A Hand Up foundation, will try to spark enthusiasm by hosting a banquet this weekend honoring modern African-Americans who have been successful in the sport. Among the honorees are Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. and his late sister Gwen Gordy Fuqua, who in 1994 with Powis Castle became only the eighth black owners to have a horse in the Kentucky Derby. Several black leaders say another way to address the problem is by getting more minority representation at Churchill Downs. Currently, there are no blacks on the track's 12-member board of directors. In 1996, the Rev. Louis Coleman, a civil rights activist, asked four Kentucky tracks for statistics on minority hiring, specifically blacks. Only Churchill Downs responded, and the track reported that 13 percent of its full-time employees were minorities. "We are not satisfied with the African-American participation of the Kentucky Derby at any level," Coleman said. Churchill Downs officials say the track hopes to attract more minority patrons by targeting a younger audience. For example, the track planned to open the infield Thursday night with live bands and other entertainment. "I think if you can get more young folks to the track, you'll see the demographics change," said Tony Terry, director of publicity at Churchill Downs. "It goes hand-in-hand." But many blacks in Kentucky say the Derby simply isn't their event. "I didn't grow up feeling an affinity for the Derby," said state Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville. "When they play 'My Old Kentucky Home,' people my age and older react to some aspects of what that represents. "Nobody even thought about going to the Derby. It's a hassle." Darrell Griffith, a former University of Louisville basketball star who for nearly a decade has hosted a Derby party that brings in celebrity guests, musical groups and professional athletes, said the Derby talk he hears is less about the race and more about the surrounding social events. "If you listen to the radio stations or talk to people in the community, most of them want to know what's going on after the race," he said. "I certainly think people get into the race and watch the race, and some may go, but I think the social events are what gets everybody excited." Former University of Kentucky basketball star and current NBA player Derek Anderson will also host a Derby party, at the Commonwealth Convention Center in Louisville. Organizers of Anderson's event say the growth of black buying power and more sophisticated tastes have created a market for such events. "You have more African-Americans making good money now, so there's a stronger dollar base to do bigger things," said George Williams, who helps run Anderson's company, D.A. Enterprises. "And I think it's going to continue to grow."
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