Bay Nalçakan, ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, wins 100th Gazi Race

The thoroughbred Bay Nalçakan, ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, came first in the 100th Gazi Race held at Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome.

Scraper SystemJune 28, 2026, 08:14 PM

Bay Nalçakan, ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, wins 100th Gazi Race

The 100th edition of the Gazi Race, which three-year-old English thoroughbreds can only run once in their racing careers, was run over a distance of 2,400 meters on the grass track at Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome. The race, with 22 thoroughbreds participating, was won by the thoroughbred named "Bay Nalçakan", owned by Emrah Nalçakan and ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, with a time of 2 minutes 29.49 seconds.

Second place was taken by "Rabovo", owned by Fedai Kahraman and ridden by Ahmet Çelik, with a time of 2 minutes 29.96 seconds, while "Ersele Beyi", owned by Murat Aktaş and ridden by Ercan Çankaya, finished third with a time of 2 minutes 30.02 seconds.

The number of spectators who came to the hippodrome to watch the race broke a record, announced as 67,200.

Grand prize 50 million lira

The winner of the Gazi Race, "Bay Nalçakan", earned its owner a first-place prize of 50 million lira. The second-place finisher will receive 20 million, third 10 million, fourth 5 million, and fifth 2.5 million lira. In addition to the first-place prize, with the 100th Year Gazi Race Special Award and other revenues, the total earnings reached 126.87 million lira.

7th Victory for Halis Karataş

Jockey Halis Karataş achieved his 7th win in the Gazi Race with "Bay Nalçakan". Karataş returned to the top 12 years after his last Gazi Race win in 2014 with the thoroughbred named "Blaze To Win".

Congratulatory message from Minister Bak

Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, in his congratulatory message published after the race, said: "The 100th edition of the Gazi Race, the derby of Turkish horse racing held since 1927 in the name of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, took place at Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome. I congratulate jockey Halis Karataş and the owner Emrah Nalçakan for winning the Gazi Race, which was a great excitement, with the thoroughbred 'Bay Nalçakan'."

Bay Nalçakan, ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, wins 100th Gazi Race

The thoroughbred Bay Nalçakan, ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, came first in the 100th Gazi Race held at Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome.