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Title: Michael Baze Dead: Jockey Found Dead In Vehicle At Churchill Downs
Source:
Huffington Post
URL Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/ ... -churchill-downs_n_860358.html
Published: May 11, 2011
Author: Beth Campell
Post Date: 2011-05-11 09:22:20 by Fred Mertz
Keywords: None
Views: 6567
Comments: 8
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A 24-year-old jockey who rode this year's Kentucky Derby second-place finisher to his only win was found dead in his vehicle Tuesday at Churchill Downs.
Michael Baze of Glendora, Calif., was pronounced dead at 4:47 p.m. EDT in his vehicle parked in the stable area of the track, Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Jim Wesley said.
There were no signs of foul play and the case was being treated as a death investigation, Louisville police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said. An autopsy was planned.
Baze was a cousin of Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze, the all-time leading rider in thoroughbred racing, and son of retired jockey Mike Baze, Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher said. An uncle and another cousin are also riders, Asher said.
"Somebody coming out of that family, it always gets your attention when you see the Baze name," Asher said.
Michael Baze rode Nehro to a win Feb. 21 at Oaklawn. He was scheduled on at least one mount on Thursday at Churchill Downs, Asher said.
His last mount was April 29 at Keeneland, and he had not yet ridden in Churchill's spring meet, Asher said.
Baze, who had been riding since he was 16, was the leading rider at Arlington Park last year.
"This winter, he rode at Oaklawn, had 34 wins, had a very good meet, including a couple of stakes wins," Asher said.
Baze had 238 mounts this year with 34 wins, 41 seconds and 38 third places, and his mounts earned nearly $1.2 million, Asher said. He had 6,969 career starts with 918 wins with mounts earning $32 million.
Asher called Baze's death "a tremendous and unthinkable loss."
"He had so much potential down the road," Asher said. "It doesn't make sense to any of us right now."
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His last mount was April 29 at Keeneland, and he had not yet ridden in Churchill's spring meet, Asher said.
This is strange for such a successful rider to hardly have any mounts lately.
I suspect OD or suicide; make that suicide by OD. Pure speculation on my part...
#2. To: Fred Mertz (#1)
Everyone struggles with their very own quiet desperation.
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#3. To: mcgowanjm (#2)
Everyone struggles with their very own quiet desperation.
Desperation apparently leads to depression in some folks.
#4. To: Fred Mertz (#3)
Desperation apparently leads to depression in some folks.
Yes. It does. And I've watched it. ;{
The root is Despair, meaning the folks think they're out of options.
But I remember my Grand Dad. (And a separate note is that a lot of these folks don't have extended families to backup...just sayin. ;})
'When I get depressed, I fall asleep....8D
Notice how few of these suicides are blacks?
#5. To: mcgowanjm (#4)
Now that you mention it I do. Interesting.
#6. To: mcgowanjm (#4)
But I remember my Grand Dad. (And a separate note is that a lot of these folks don't have extended families to backup...just sayin. ;})'When I get depressed, I fall asleep....8D
I sure hope this sad young jockey wasn't in such a state. He has a huge extended family but they are pretty busy.
I've been taking care of my aunt for the last few months since she received her 'death sentence' from the doc. Since that day she would sleep 24/7 if I let her.
#7. To: Fred Mertz (#3)
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, I've heard.
-------------------------------------
Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?
#8. To: mininggold, ALL (#6)
More info from Daily Racing Form:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Jefferson County coroner’s office announced Wednesday that an autopsy performed on Michael Baze did not reveal anything definitive about his cause of death and that a toxicology report for the 24-year-old jockey would not be available for several days.
Baze was found dead by emergency workers Tuesday afternoon at 4:50 p.m. Eastern in the Churchill Downs stable area in his Cadillac Escalade, which had been parked with the engine apparently running all morning. The toxicology report will include a test for carbon-monoxide poisoning. Police say foul play is not suspected.
Baze, a former leading rider at Del Mar, Hollywood Park, and Arlington Park, had not ridden since April 29.
According to Louisville television station WLKY, Baze was scheduled to appear Thursday in court on a felony charge of cocaine possession stemming from his arrest in Louisville last Nov. 18.
Baze had experienced legal troubles involving alcohol, including a drunken-driving arrest in Carlsbad, Calif., during the 2009 Del Mar meet and other isolated incidents.
Baze was the son of retired jockey Mike Baze and the first cousin of active jockey Tyler Baze. His uncle was Gary Baze, while Russell Baze, the Hall of Fame jockey who is the all-time winningest jockey in history, is the first cousin of his father, Mike.
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