Basil Frazier, a top rider in Washington and British Columbia, died of dementia at home in hospice Thursday evening. Frazier was 85 years old.
Born Aug. 24, 1937, in Spokane, Wash., Frazier rode 2,218 winners and was adept on both the one-mile oval at Longacres and five-eighths mile bullring at Exhibition Park, including four titles and a then-record 141 wins over the latter strip in 1974.
A member of the British Columbia Racing Hall of Fame, “The Baz” rode three B.C. Derby winners including a triumph aboard Kinghaven Farms' Norland in 1974. At Longacres, Frazier won the 1974 Longacres Mile on Times Rush, the 1977 Washington Championship on Banchory Bob, and the 1980 Gottstein Futurity aboard Question. He scored his milestone 2,000th victory aboard Dyna Driller on May 13, 1982, at Longacres.
The nephew of jockey Basil James and father of jockey Don Frazier, Basil Frazier won 449 races and 29 stakes at Longacres, where he was deeply respected by colleagues.
“We shared the same valet for several years and Basil always went about his business in a professional manner,” said former jockey Gary Baze, who locked horns with Frazier in many a stretch battle. “Basil was a very good rider and a clean rider. He could be tricky. He'd set a false pace and be very tough to catch.”
After retiring from riding, Frazier worked as a jockeys' agent and as a broadcaster at the racetrack. Most recently he worked in security at the Muckleshoot Casino.
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