With four mounts on the eight-race program, Baze was perfect, winning with Power Tripper ($4.60) in the third, Bertha Jo ($3.40) in the fifth, Stage Player ($6.60) in the seventh, and Daddysangbass ($7.40) in the eighth.

Baze equaled an accomplishment by David Flores for most wins in a day at this meeting and now has a five-race lead over Corey Nakatani in the jockeys' standings, 26-21.

Baze is shooting for his first Del Mar riding title. He won the first title of his career last month at the Holly-wood Park spring-summer meeting.

With the titles come mounts on important horses. Baze rides Kela in Sunday's $200,000 Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap over seven furlongs. On July 25, Baze guided Kela to an upset win in the Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap over six furlongs.

"All he has to do is run like he did last time," Baze said. "This could be a very big weekend."

Stage Player was the highlight of Thursday's program for Baze. The second choice in a one-mile allowance race on turf, Stage Player fought for the lead on the outside of Golden Arrow to early stretch and pulled clear to win by two lengths in 1:33.37. The Tin Man, making his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita last October, closed from fifth to finish third.

The win marked Baze's third win on Stage Player this year. On July 17, Stage Player won the Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes at Canterbury Park.

"I never let him run yesterday," Baze said on the backstretch Friday morning. "I only hit him left-handed because he was leaning on [Golden Arrow]"

Baze plans to take a vacation in September and will ride sparingly during the Fairplex Park meeting in Pomona. He plans to visit family and friends in Washington and go to Alaska on a fishing trip.

Until then, Baze will be attempting to add the Del Mar jockey title to his list of achievements.

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