He was the Eddie Arcaro, the Willie Shoemaker of his era. More than 145 years ago, the son of a slave began to carve his indelible mark on the tree of American Thoroughbred history. A slight man, Isaac Burns Murphy was known for his soft hands and bowlegs. Weighing in at 70 pounds when he launched his career, Murphy rode upright, rather than in a crouch, and he was a superb judge of pace. His mounts tended to close with devastating speed, often winning by a head or less. Those tight finishes came to be known as "Murfinishes."
Tag: Legends
Inside Information: A Hall of Fame Racehorse With Push-Button Brilliance
Rain has been known to dampen the spirits of many a person. But not trainer Shug McGaughey, especially on a gray October afternoon in 1995.
Scotty Schulhofer: A First-Class Horseman Who Aged Like Fine Wine
Flint S. “Scotty” Schulhofer spent almost all of his 80 years on this earth around horses and racetracks, but in a sense he was much like a fine wine. Born as the son of a horse owner-riding academy operator, he went to work at the racetrack as a 17-year-old youth. Yet when he approached his 60s – at a time when most men would look to slow down and eye retirement – he enjoyed his greatest run of sustained success and assembled a stable that rivaled any in the sport.
Stuart Janney to Receive Eclipse Award of Merit
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Jan. 19 that Stuart S. Janney III will be honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit at the 53rd Annual Eclipse Awards Dinner and Ceremony at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida on Thursday, Jan. 25. The Eclipse Award of Merit is the Thoroughbred industry’s highest honor, bestowed upon an individual who has displayed a lifetime of achievement in service to the sport. Janney’s decades of involvement and leadership within the sport of Thoroughbred racing has bettered the sport for future generations.
