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 August 7, 1958) is a retired jockey from Canada and the United States. He is famous for winning more horse races than any other jockey in North American history. Russell Baze is also a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.
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Russell Baze's Family History
Russell Baze was born into an American family. His father, Joe Baze, was also a jockey and a horse trainer. At the time Russell was born, his father was racing at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, Canada. This meant Russell was born with citizenship in both Canada and the United States.
Russell Baze's Racing Career
Russell Baze started his racing journey in Walla Walla, Washington, in 1974. He won his very first race that fall at the Yakima racetrack. By the early 1980s, he became well-known. He won many racing titles in northern California, including the 1981 California Derby.
Russell Baze went on to lead thoroughbred horse racing in the United States. He won the most races ten times! He also earned 36 riding titles at Bay Meadows racetrack in San Mateo, California. Plus, he won 27 titles at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California.
Special Awards and Achievements
After winning 400 or more races for four years in a row, Russell Baze received a special Eclipse Award in 1995. This was a huge honor! He then won 400 or more races seven more times. No other jockey has done this more than three times.
In 1999, Russell Baze was added to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 2002, his fellow jockeys voted for him to receive the important George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. Since 1995, the Isaac Murphy Award has been given to the jockey with the highest winning percentage in North America. Russell Baze won this award 13 out of 14 years, only coming in second once in 2004.
Amazing Racing Moments
On October 14, 1989, Russell Baze rode a horse named Hawkster. They set a new track record at Santa Anita Park for racing 11⁄2 miles on turf.
Russell Baze became even more famous on December 1, 2006. In a race at Bay Meadows, he set a new world record! He won his 9,531st career race on a horse named Butterfly Belle. This meant he passed jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. for the most career wins ever.
Another amazing achievement happened on October 17 and 18, 2007. Russell Baze won eleven races over just two days!
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 won the race on his horse, Bold Chieftain, beating the horse that was leading, Monterey Jazz.
Russell Baze's Milestones
On February 1, 2008, at Golden Gate Fields, Russell Baze rode Two Step Cat to a close victory. 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, he reached another milestone. Russell Baze rode a new horse named Separate Forest to his 11,000th win.
On July 7, 2013, in Pleasanton, California, Russell Baze rode Handful of Pearls to victory. This was his 12,000th win! It was also his fourth win of that day at the Alameda County Fair.
Russell Baze's Personal Life
Russell Baze is married to Tami, and they have four children. 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
