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Baze hits
11,000 mark
August 14, 2010 - Russell Baze made thoroughbred racing history Saturday at
the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and, fittingly, it was another Hall of Famer that
provided him with the mount for his 11,000th winner.
Separate Forest, a first-time starter shipped up from Del Mar by trainer Richard
Mandella, blew away the opposition by 11 lengths in the fourth race. Baze knew
he was aboard No.11,000 a few seconds into the 5½-furlong race.
“She came away running and was well into the bit while second down the
backstretch,” Baze said. “I had so much horse at that point, I knew I was on the
winner. I gave her a little more rein on the turn and she shot to the lead.”
With the finish line an eighth of a mile away, Baze said he tried to hear what
announcer Michael Wrona was saying but couldn’t hear him over the crowd noise.
“Crossing the finish line I thought to myself how fortunate I am to hit a
milestone that no one has ever been near,” Baze said. “As I pulled her up and
headed back to the winner’s circle, I was thinking about the support I’ve gotten
from trainers all these years. No rider can win races without the stock
underneath him and I’ve been given the opportunity to ride a lot of good
horses.”
When Baze and Separate Forest were being led into the winner’s circle, the crowd
gave him a standing ovation. He responded by doffing his helmet to the crowd.
“It means a lot for me to do it in Santa Rosa because my family and I have been
coming here for years and the people are so nice,” Baze said.
Baze was voted into the Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1999.
Mandella made it 2001.