Jockey Bios

Top Jockeys at Golden Gate Fields

Frank Alvarado

Frank Alvarado

Became the first Bay Area-based jockey to win a $1 million race when he guided McCann’s Mojave to a 33-to-1 shocker in the 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.   

Had  2,570 career victories through Aug. 8, 2011.

Won 245 races in 2008 and ranked 12th in the nation in victories.

Rode 235 winners in 2009 and tied for 16th in the nation in wins.

Has been the second-leading jockey at Golden Gate Fields six times – at the 2009 Fall/Winter meeting, 2008-2009 Winter/Spring, 2008 Fall, 2008 Spring, 2007-2008 Winter, and 2004-2005 Winter.  

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Russell Baze

Russell Baze

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

The world’s winningest jockey, Baze had 11,302 career victories through June 29, 2011.

Recorded his 11,000th career win on Aug. 14, 2010 at Santa Rosa when he won the fourth race aboard Separate Forest.

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.

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Francisco Duran

Francisco Duran

Finished third in the jockey standings at the 2010-2011 winter/spring meeting at Golden Gate Fields with 68 victories.

Won the 2011 Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity at Pleasanton with Sherman Bartlebort.  

Competed at Emerald Downs in the summer of 2010 and finished fourth in the jockey standings at the Washington track with 75 wins, including four stakes victories (Auburn Handicap with Posse Power, Federal Way Handicap with Feeling Fancy, Belle Roberts Stakes with Mizzen You, and Washington’s Lottery Handicap with Rewritten).

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Aaron Gryder

Aaron Gryder

Won the world’s richest horse race, the $6 million Dubai World Cup at Nad al Sheba Racecourse, with Well Armed in 2009.  Well Armed romped home by 14 lengths, the largest margin of victory in the history of the race.
 
Captured the riding crown at the 2011 summer meeting at Golden Gate Fields when he posted 29 victories at the 22-day session.
 
Has won riding titles at Aqueduct (New York), Churchill Downs (Kentucky), Arlington Park (Illinois) and Hollywood Park (Southern California).
 
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