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Contribution #339 of 365
Isaac Burns Murphy
Champion Jockey and Three-Time Kentucky Derby Winner
1875–1895
The contribution
How this work helped shape America
Born in Kentucky in 1861 to parents who had experienced slavery, Isaac Burns Murphy became one of America's leading professional jockeys. He won the Kentucky Derby in 1884, 1890 and 1891, becoming the first jockey to win the race three times. Murphy's skill, strategy and extraordinary winning record shaped the commercial growth and national popularity of thoroughbred racing.