Now, most jockeys at the Kentucky Derby are White men, but few know that 15 of the first 28 Derby winners were Black men. Even more notably, the first winning jockey was a Black man, Oliver Lewis, according to the BBC.
However, outside of the sporting event, one of the main reasons the Kentucky Derby attracts so many people is because of the incredible fashion worn by folks all around the racetrack. This was not unintentional but done by design by Clark Jr., who was so inspired by European racing traditions that he encouraged folks to wear their very best, according to the Kentucky Derby Museum.