True Life Tuesday: Isaac Burns Murphy

The little known story of the first horse jockey elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Isaac Burns Murphy was born in 1861 in Fayette County, Kentucky. His parents were free and he was raised in Lexington, Kentucky. His father ended up dying in a Confederate prisoner of war camp. 

He began racing in 1875. In 1879 he won the Travers Stakes at Saratoga Springs. This win brought him national fame. He won the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby 3 times and the first to win in successive years. All in all he rode in the race 11 times. He also won the first Chicago Derby in 1884 and then he won the race again in 1885, 1886 and 1888. He ended up becoming one of the highest paid athletes in the country. 

In August of 1890 he had a bad showing at a race in Monmouth, New Jersey. After the race he appeared to be unsteady on his feet. This led to speculation that he was drunk. He claimed that he was drugged. Rumors of a drinking problem followed him and his last race was in 1895. He claimed a winning percentage of 44% however the historical documents so a winning percentage of 34.5%. Either way the record has never been matched. He died from pneumonia on February 12, 1896.