All-time winningest jockey Russell Baze retires

Russell Baze, the all-time winningest jockey with 12,842 victories, is hanging it up after 42 years.

His last race was a second-place finish aboard Wahine Warrior in the 10th race Sunday at Golden Gate Field. According to the Paulick Report, he told longtime agent Ray Harris: “That’s it. I’m going to retire.”

“I was surprised but I was happy,” Harris told Ray Paulick. “He’s my friend and I wanted him to be sound for his retirement. His family wanted him to retire after he got hurt the last time.”

Harris has been Baze’s agent since 1979.

While Baze mostly raced in Northern California, he did venture down to Southern California on occasion. Baze rode a staggering 53,578 races over a career that started at Yakima Meadows in Washington in 1974. He was the leading rider in North America 13 times and his mounts have won almost $200 million.

Neither Baze nor Harris could immediately be reached for comment.