Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze captured four races on Saturday at Golden
Gate Fields to reach 8,834 in total career wins, passing the late Bill Shoemaker
for the second most of all-time by a rider. The 47-year-old native of Vancouver
now trails only Laffit Pincay Jr., who retired in 2003 with 9,530 victories.
Baze’s accomplishments in Northern California are legendary. He’s won nearly
every jockey title at Golden Gate and Bay Meadows since the early 1980s and led
the nation in wins six times. He also owns nine Isaac Murphy Awards, which is
given to the jockey each year with the highest winning percentage in the nation
(minimum 500 mounts).
His first victory Saturday came aboard Face Down Dave (In Excess [Ire]) in
the 2ND race and he took the 3RD with Tularosa Kid (Dance Floor). Two races
later, he guided El Prado’s Boy (El Prado [Ire]) to a two-length score. Baze
established a new mark in the 7TH, piloting Hollow Memories (Gilded Time) to an
easy 4 1/2-length, wire-to-wire decision.