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Russell Baze

Russell Baze Born: August 7, 1958 Vancouver, British Columbia

RUSSELL BAZE

Born: August 7, 1958, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Inducted into Thoroughbred Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1999.

Became the first jockey in North America to win 10,000 races when he recorded the landmark victory aboard Two Step Cat in the third race at Golden Gate Fields on
Feb. 1, 2008.

Through July 15, 2008, he had 10,212 career victories.

Overtook the great Laffit Pincay, Jr. as the winningest jockey in North American thoroughbred racing history when he recorded career victory No. 9,531 aboard Butterfly Belle in the fourth race at Bay Meadows on Dec. 1, 2006.  Pincay was forced into retirement by injuries in 2003 with 9,530 wins.

Posted career win No. 9,000 on June 2, 2005, at Golden Gate Fields when he took the eighth race aboard favored Queen of the Hunt ($2.80).

Passed the legendary Bill Shoemaker and moved into second place on the all-time win list for jockeys when he notched his 8,834th career win aboard Hollow Memories in the seventh race at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 22, 2005.

Has won 33 riding championships at Golden Gate Fields and 40 riding titles at Bay Meadows.

Has led the nation in victories nine times – in 2007 (399 wins), 2005 (375), 2002 (431), 2000 (412), 1996 (415), 1995 (448), 1994 (415), 1993 (408), and 1992 (435).
 
Honored with a special Eclipse Award in 1995 for being the first jockey ever to win 400 or more races in a year for four consecutive years.

Has won 400 races in a year 11 of the past 15 years.  No other jockey has won 400 races in a year more than three times.

Is a 12-time winner of the Isaac Murphy Award, a national honor that is given annually to the jockey who rides the highest percentage of winners from mounts (minimum 500 mounts) during the year.  The Isaac Murphy was inaugurated in 1995 by the National Turf Writers Association and Baze has taken the honor every year with the exception of 2004.

Winner of the 2002 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, a prestigious honor awarded to him by his fellow riders.  The Woolf Award honors riders whose careers and personal character reflect positively on themselves and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Set a Northern California record for most victories on a single card when he won with seven of his nine mounts at Golden Gate Fields on April 16, 1992. 

Tied the U.S. record for consecutive wins by a jockey when he won nine straight races over two days (Aug. 17-18, 2006) during the San Mateo County Fair meeting at Bay Meadows.  He won with his final two mounts on Aug. 17 and then went 7-for-7 on
Aug. 18.

Has won many major stakes, including the following prestigious events: Grade I King’s Bishop (with Lost in the Fog in 2005), Grade I Santa Monica Handicap (Devils Orchid-1991), Churchill Downs Handicap (Trickey Trevor-2006), Riva Ridge Breeders’ Cup (Lost in the Fog-2005), Jim Beam Stakes (Event of the Year-1998); Oak Tree Invitational (twice, Hawkster-1989, Both Ends Burning-1984); Oak Leaf Stakes (Lite Light-1990), Del Mar Debutante (Raipillan-1986); Golden Gate Handicap (twice, Deploy Venture-2000, Regal Bearing-1982); Bay Meadows Handicap (five times: Bold Chieftain-2008, Adreamisborn-2005, Super Quercus-2001, Caesour-1995, Super Moment-1982); El Camino Real Derby (five times, Bwana Bull-2007, Cause to Believe-2006, Uncle Denny-2005, Event of the Year-1998, French Legionaire-1984); California Derby (four times, Bwana Bull-2007, Cause to Believe-2006, Trieste’s Honor-2004, Always A Cinch-1981); Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup Sprint (three times: Mellow Fellow-2002, Lexicon-2001, 2000); Bay Meadows Derby (twice, Congressionalhonor-2004, Royal Gem-2002), Longacres Mile (three times, Adreamisborn-2004, Sky Jack-2003, Simply Majestic-1988), California Cup Classic (Bold Chieftain-2007), and Azalea Stakes (Indyanne-2008).

Is the son of Joe Baze, who won riding championships at Bay Meadows, Golden Gate Fields and Longacres.

Rode his first winner on Oct. 28, 1974, at Yakima Meadows, Wa., aboard Oregon Warrior, who was trained by his father, Joe.

He and his wife, Tami, have three daughters, Trinity, Brandi, and Cassie, and one son, Gable.