Riding Career: 1876 - 1895
Number of Mounts: 1,538
Number of Winners: 530
Winning Percentage: 34.5 or 44, depending on source%

Isaac Murphy (b. Jan. 1, 1861? - d. Feb. 12, 1896), a prominent African American jockey, succeeded in winning the Kentucky Derby three times in the years of 1890 and 1891, a record which stood until the year of 1948 when Eddie Arcaro won the Kentucky Derby four times riding the famed Citation.

Many consider Isaac Murphy the greatest American jockey of all time. The son of a former slave, Murphy rose to prominence in a field that was dominated by African American jockeys at the time. By his own account Murphy won 44% of his races. Only 34.5% can be verified in chart books from the era, but it's likely that some of Murphy's races were not covered in the chart books. Either way, Murphy set a standard that no other jockey has met.

Isaac Murphy was known as "the most phenomenal hand jockey the world had yet seen." He was opposed to being a "whip" rider in order to achieve the speed needed to win a race. Murphy rode in over 1,412 races and won over 628. Upon his death, the famed trainer L.P. Tarlton said these words about Isaac Murphy: "I have seen all the great jockeys in England and this country for years back, but, all in all, Isaac Murphy is the greatest of them all."

Isaac Murphy won with more than a third of his mounts year after year. In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby three times, he also won the Latonia Derby five times, and four of the first five runnings of the American Derby, once the richest 3-year-old race in America.

Not only was Murphy known for his skill on horseback but also for his honesty and loyalty. He once refused to let champion Falsetto lose the 1879 Kenner Stakes, even though gamblers enticed him with bribes.

Among others, Murphy rode Emperor of Norfolk, Kingston, Firenze, and Salvator. Aboard Salvator in the 1890 Suburban he defeated Snapper Garrison and Tenney in a historic match.

Sadly, his career was cut short at the age of 34 when he died of pneumonia. He always had trouble staying at the light weight demanded of a jockey and was known to binge and purge. It has been speculated that it was vomit backing up in his lungs that caused the pneumonia which led to his death. He is buried next to Man O' War in the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington

Information provided by Trotter of CR Racers