Russell Baze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Russell Avery Baze |
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| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | August 7, 1958 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Career wins | 12,844 |
| Major racing wins | |
| Gottstein Futurity (1975, 1983) Silky Sullivan Handicap (1981, 1988) California Derby (1981) Golden Gate Fields Handicap (1982, 2000) Bay Meadows Handicap (1982, 1995, 2005) Oak Tree Invitational Stakes (1984,1989) El Camino Real Derby (1984, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014) Del Mar Debutante Stakes (1986) Longacres Mile Handicap (1988, 2003, 2004) San Carlos Handicap (1990) San Gorgonio Handicap (1990) Oak Leaf Stakes (1990) Bed O' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap (1991) Yerba Buena Handicap (1992, 1995, 2002, 2005) Oklahoma Derby (1996) Jim Beam Stakes (1998) Lane's End Stakes (1998) Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint (2002) Bay Shore Stakes (2005) King's Bishop Stakes (2005) Sunshine Millions Dash (2005) Churchill Downs Handicap (2006) Aristides Breeders' Cup Stakes (2006) Azalea Breeders' Cup Stakes (2008) California Cup Juvenile (2007) California Oaks (2009) Lost in the Fog Stakes (2009) Sunshine Millions Classic (2010) San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile 2010 Ancient Title Stakes (2010) All American Stakes (2013) Berkeley Handicap (2013, 2015) |
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| Racing awards | |
| George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (2002) Isaac Murphy Award (1995–2003, 2005–2007) Eclipse Special Award (1995) United States Champion Jockey by wins (1992–1996, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008) |
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| Honours | |
| United States Racing Hall of Fame (1999) State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame (2012) |
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| Significant horses | |
| Lost in the Fog Bold Chieftain |
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Russell Avery Baze, born on August 7, 1958, is a famous retired jockey from Canada and the United States. A jockey is a person who rides horses in horse races. He holds the amazing record for winning the most horse races in North American history! He's also a member of two special halls of fame: the United States Racing Hall of Fame and the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.
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Russell Baze's Early Life
Russell Baze was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His family was American. His father, Joe Baze, was also a jockey and a horse trainer. At the time Russell was born, his dad was racing horses at Exhibition Park in Vancouver. Because of this, Russell has citizenship in both Canada and the United States.
Russell Baze's Racing Career
Russell Baze started his exciting racing journey in Walla Walla, Washington, in 1974. He won his very first race that same year at the Yakima racetrack. By the early 1980s, he was becoming well-known. He started winning many racing titles at racetracks in northern California. One of his big early wins was the 1981 California Derby.
Top Jockey Achievements
Russell Baze became one of the best jockeys in thoroughbred horse racing. He led the United States in race victories ten different times! He won 36 riding titles at the Bay Meadows racetrack in San Mateo, California. He also won 27 titles at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California.
For four years in a row, Russell won 400 or more races each year. This was a huge accomplishment! Because of his amazing success, he received a special Eclipse Award in 1995. This award is one of the highest honors in horse racing. After that, he won 400 or more races in a year seven more times. No other jockey has done this more than three times!
In 1999, Russell Baze was honored by being added to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. This is a very special place for the greatest people in horse racing history. In 2002, other jockeys voted for him to receive the important George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. This award recognizes jockeys who show great character and sportsmanship.
Since 1995, the National Turf Writers Association has given out the Isaac Murphy Award. This award goes to the jockey with the highest winning percentage in North America. Russell Baze won this award 13 out of 14 years! He only came in second place once, in 2004.
Russell Baze's Notable Wins
On October 14, 1989, Russell Baze rode a horse named Hawkster. Together, they set a new track record at Santa Anita Park for a 1½-mile race on grass.
A very famous moment happened on December 1, 2006, at Bay Meadows. Russell Baze set a new world record for the most career victories! He passed another legendary jockey, Laffit Pincay Jr.. Russell won his 9,531st career race while riding a horse named Butterfly Belle.
Russell also had an incredible two days on October 17 and 18, 2007. During those two days, he won eleven races!
Even though he had won almost every other big race at Golden Gate Fields, Russell had never won the track's most important race: the San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile. But that changed on April 24, 2010. He rode a horse named Bold Chieftain and won the race, beating the horse that was leading.
Russell Baze's Career Milestones
On February 1, 2008, at Golden Gate Fields, Russell Baze made history again. He rode a horse called Two Step Cat to a close victory in the third race. This win made him the first jockey in North America to reach 10,000 career wins!
Then, on August 14, 2010, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California, Russell rode a horse named Separate Forest. This horse was racing for the very first time. When they won, it marked Russell's 11,000th career victory!
On July 7, 2013, in Pleasanton, California, Russell Baze rode Handful of Pearls to win the last race of the Alameda County Fair. This win was his 12,000th career victory, and it was his fourth win of that day!
Russell Baze's Family Life
Russell Baze is married to his wife, Tami, and they have four children together. Their daughter, Trinity, is married to Kyle Kaenel, who was also a jockey. Kyle's father, Jack Kaenel, famously won the Preakness Stakes when he was only 16 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Russell Baze para niños
