Jockey Glen Murphy

BORN   : 3/07/68, Lamar, Colorado

RESIDES: El Paso, Texas

FAMILY : Joy, wife

Glen is named for his grandfather, who raced at the Spa in the 1950s and 1960s. The older Murphy raced formidable stables at Oaklawn, Centennial, Ak-Sar-Ben and other tracks in those years.

"My grandfather loved to come to Oaklawn and race," said the jockey, adding, and “My father, Doug, also trained."

At 5'8", the grandson is among the tallest of Oaklawn's jockeys. "My height has never bothered me as a rider. I don't think it has worked against me. Some times when I tell people I'm a jockey, they don't believe me," he said.

Glen has won a number of prizes in his successful riding career, among them being Oaklawn's $75,000 Honeybee Stakes on Dreams Gallore.

What Oklahoma fan will soon forget his winning the $253,780 Mathis Brothers' Remington Park Futurity on Goldgusher in 1991? In 1995 when Retama Park opened in San Antonio, Glen won the first race ever there, taking the historic event on First Oasis. He used to ride Smicklas, the old Remington Park stakes favorite.

He won the Sunland Park Futurity on San Rama, Ruidoso Futurity aboard Set Records and the Norgor Thoroughbred Futurity astride Talent Connection. "But, the biggest thrill was winning the Mathis Brothers' Remington Futurity. The winner earned $152,000."

The angular rider recalls riding at Oaklawn as an apprentice in 1985. "I was tall, even then."   

Early in his career, Murphy rode through Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, plying his craft on quarter horses and thoroughbreds. When Remington Park opened, he became a fixture there. Subsequently he became an Oaklawn regular.

"Twice, I rode in the All-American Futurity at Ruidoso, at one time the richest of all horse races," he said. "I finished third in it in 1995 on Naturally A Winner. Now, I pretty well stick to thoroughbreds."