[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Star of the North

I had the good fortune to meet Laffit and Russell on the same day in the Turfway Park racing office on March 28, 1998. A power pole had blown over in the track parking lot the night before the running of the Jim Beam Stakes and the entire plant was dark.

Members of the Turfway management team were conferring over what course of action to pursue while trainers and jockeys awaited their decision. I found myself on a bench next to Baze and Pincay while everyone waited for some announcement. Pincay (who was scheduled to ride Yarrow Brae for Lukas that day) was working his cell phone furiously in an attempt to find an immediate flight out of Cincinnati while Russell waited quietly for the track's announcement. Minutes later the word came through the racing office: Turfway would cancel the day's racecard and run the Beam the next day.

By this time Pincay had found an earlier flight back to L.A. and was now looking for a ride to the airport. I asked Russell what his plans were. He responded "Well, I guess will have to wait until tomorrow to get the money."

Russell delivered on the promise. The next day he guided Golden Eagle Farm's Event Of The Year to an impressive, five-length win in the last running of the Jim Beam Stakes.

There was a time in Pincay's career when his business had dropped off and he wondered aloud about shipping his tack to Northern California although he never made good on the threat. It would have been memorable to see Baze and Pincay square off every day.

When you think about the sacrifices that Pincay and Baze each made to get to this level, it is unfair to diminish Baze's achievement in any way. He may not have overcome as many injuries as Pincay, but Baze has had his share of mishaps that have kept him out of the saddle. Just this past year Baze double-timed his recovery from a collarbone fracture to regain the mount on Lost in the Fog. I would say to anyone who thinks Russell is something less than a top rank jock that you haven't watched him very much.

When he breaks the record this weekend, recall what Longden said to Shoe when his career record was broken at Del Mar in 1970: "I knew it took a good man to set the record and I knew it would take another good man to break it."

Nice post...thanks for the story!