Year of the Jockey

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Santa Anita Stakes Wins
California Cup Matron H. (OT)—Romance Is Diane (2007)
Carleton F. Burke H. (GIII-OT)—Symphony Sid (2006)
Las Flores H. (GIII)—Hello Lucky (2007)
Morvich H. (GIII-OT)—Moth Ball (2006)
Oak Tree Mile (GII-OT)—Out of Control (2007)

Other Major Stakes Wins
American Invitational H. (GII-Hol)—Out of Control (2007)
Best Pal (GII-Dmr)—Salute the Sarge (2007)
Black Swan (Fpx)—Kimmy Potter (2006)
Borderland Derby (Sun)—Indy Wildcat (2006)
Castle Guard H. (Mth)—Moorish Prince (2003)
Hollywood Juvenile Champ. (GIII-Hol)—Salute the Sarge (2007)
Manhattan Beach (Hol)—Sindy With an S (2007)
Oceanside (Dmr)—Ten a Penny (2007-1st div.); Knockout Artist (2007-2nd div.)
Osunitas H. (Dmr)—Kris’ Sis (2007)
San Diego H. (GII-Dmr)—Sun Boat (2007)
Wilshire H. (GIII-Hol)—Charm the Giant (2007)

Highlights

• First winner: Out on the Sly, May 3, 2003, at Hollywood Park.
• First graded stakes winner: Was also his first at Santa Anita when taking the 2006 running of Oak Tree’s Grade III Carleton F. Burke Handicap aboard Symphony Sid.
• Riding Titles: Hollywood Park (spring/summer) 2007; Del Mar (2007)
• At the age of 20, soared to the top of the Southern California jockeys’ colony in 2007 when gaining riding titles at Hollywood Park’s Spring/Summer Meet and at Del Mar after finishing sixth in the standings at Santa Anita.
• With 73 victories during the 63-day Hollywood Park season, he became the youngest jockey to win that track’s riding championship since Bill Shoemaker led the standings at the age of 18 in 1950. Handled 50 winners during the 43-day Del Mar meet to finish 13 victories ahead of runner-up Joe Talamo.
• The rising young star with the familiar riding surname was pursuing Top 20 national rankings in both earnings and victories prior to his 21st birthday in 2007.
• “I didn’t pay much attention to him at first, but he’s come a long way,” observed Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally. “I can’t say enough about him. He works like heck in the morning and he rides great in the afternoon. He can rate a horse, his timing is good, and horses run for him. We try to get him whenever we can.”
• Was 16 when began career as an apprentice at Hollywood Park in 2003.
• Went to the East Coast to sharpen his skills, becoming the leading apprentice and fifth leading rider at Monmouth Park in 2003.
• Won his first stakes race at Monmouth in 2003 when scoring aboard Moorish Prince in the Castle Guard Handicap.
• Rode 43 winners at Monmouth in 2004; 35 in 2005 when he also won 15 races from 115 mounts at the Meadowlands.
• Returned to California in 2006. After recording nine victories at Santa Anita, vaulted into the Top Ten at both Hollywood Park and Del Mar, placing ninth in the standings at both tracks with 24 and 17 wins, respectively.
• Registered a hat trick at Hollywood Park on July 13, 2006, with three straight mounts: Virginia City ($13.80), fourth; Miss L’augeval ($17.40), sixth, and Donerella ($77.80), seventh.

Personal

• Member of racing’s prominent Baze family is a second cousin of Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze and a cousin to Tyler Baze. “It’s nice to be a Baze in racing because people recognize the name right away,” he says, “but I don’t want just to be another Baze. I want to be Michael Baze and have people know me for that.”
• Father Mike Baze was a leading rider at Portland Meadows and Longacres.