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Russell Baze
Born: August 7, 1958
Vancouver, British Columbia
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RUSSELL BAZE
Inducted into Thoroughbred Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1999.
Is the second-winningest rider in thoroughbred racing history. He had 9,014 victories through July 11, 2005. Laffit Pincay, Jr., who retired in 2003, is racing’s all-time leader 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 Bay Meadows and 27 riding titles at Golden Gate Fields.
Has led the nation in victories seven times – in 2002 (431 wins), 2000 (412), 1996 (415), 1995 (448), 1994 (415), 1993 (410), and 1992 (433).
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 11 of the past 13 years, coming up short only in 1999 (with 373 wins) and 2004 (321 wins) when he missed significant time due to injuries. No other jockey has won 400 races in a year more than three times.
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.
Earned the Isaac Murphy Award, a national honor which goes to the jockey with the highest win percentage (minimum 500 mounts), for nine straight years (from its inception in 1995 through 2003).
Has won many major stakes, including the following prestigious events: Riva Ridge Breeders’ Cup (with Lost in the Fog in 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 (twice, Caesour-1995, Super Moment-1982); El Camino Real Derby (three times, Uncle Denny-2005, Event of the Year-1998, French Legionaire-1984); California Derby (twice, Trieste’s Honor-2004, Always A Cinch-1981); Bay Meadows Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Mellow Fellow-2002); Bay Meadows Derby (twice, Congressionalhonor-2004, Royal Gem-2002), and Longacres Mile (twice, Adreamisborn-2004, Simply Majestic-1988).
Is the regular rider of the brilliant 3-year-old colt Lost in the Fog, who (through July 11, 2005) was undefeated in eight starts and had captured six stakes in 2005.
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.
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