Churchill Downs Honors Legendary African-American Jockey Isaac Murphy Sponsored by:
Legendary jockey Isaac Murphy
Churchill Downs Racetrack has renamed a Derby Week stakes race to honor the legacy of a legendary African-American and native Kentuckian who was arguably the greatest jockey American racing has ever known – Isaac Murphy.
The featured overnight stakes race on Champions Day, Tuesday, April 27, has been renamed the $120,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon. The 1 ½-mile endurance race for Thoroughbreds age 4 and up was formerly known as the Champions Day Marathon.
Murphy is only the seventh individual to have a Churchill Downs stakes race named in his honor, joining Churchill Downs founder Col. M. Lewis Clark (Clark), former Churchill Downs President Matt Winn (Matt Winn), “My Old Kentucky Home” composer Stephen Foster (Stephen Foster), Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas (Lukas Classic), Churchill Downs all-time winningest jockey Pat Day (Pat Day Mile) and fello