The Perkins Family
Last Modified 4/5/2007

James "Soup" Perkins

James "Soup" Perkins won the 1895 Derby aboard Halma as a 15-year-old to join fellow African-American jockey Alonzo Clayton as the youngest winning riders of the event. Perkins, who received his nickname for his love of soup, began riding in 1891 at 11. He won his first race at Kentucky's Latonia racetrack that year. His brother, William Perkins, a prominent trainer of the time started six horses in the Derby during his career. Soup died in August 1911 while attending the races at Hamilton, Ontario.