100th Gazi Race

^{Atatürk and İnönü Watching the Gazi Race – 1927 (AA)}

The Gazi Race is a prestigious horse racing event held continuously since 1927 in honor of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye. The 100th Gazi Race, marking the centenary of this important tradition, will take place on Sunday, 28 June at 17:15 at the Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul. Recognized as the Derby of Turkish horse racing, this race represents the highest level of competition in the country's thoroughbred racing scene.

The foundations of the Gazi Race were laid in 1926 with the establishment of the High Racing and Improvement Council. The first race was held on 10 June 1927 at a sports facility near Tandoğan Square in Ankara. The inaugural race was won by the three-year-old thoroughbred mare "Neriman," owned by Hacı Bekirzade Ali Muhittin Bey and ridden by jockey İhsan Atçı, with a time of 2:50.00.

^{Gazi Race in Ankara – 1950 (AA)}" image-element-format="right" image-height="3228" image-source="https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/06/23/z8magjSSR1cjPqPdYCYxzjtXZD0WWmN6.jpg" image-width="4724">

Since 1932, the race format has been restricted to three-year-old purebred English thoroughbreds born in Türkiye, with a distance of 2400 meters. In 1936, the event recorded its lowest participation with only three horses starting. Following Atatürk’s death in 1938, the race was temporarily renamed the Atatürk Race. The Gazi Race was first held at Istanbul’s Veliefendi Hippodrome in 1968 and permanently relocated there in 1980. The 1943 race in Ankara was attended by 18,000 ticketed spectators, and over time the event grew into a mass phenomenon.

Several records from the century-long history of the Gazi Race remain unbroken to this day:

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• Fastest Time (Time Record): In the 70th Gazi Race in 1996, the purebred thoroughbred "Bold Pilot," ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, recorded a time of 2:26.22, a record that still stands.
• Most Wins by a Jockey: Mümin Çılgın holds the record with nine victories between 1960 and 1991, achieved with different thoroughbreds.
• Most Consecutive Wins by a Jockey: Ahmet Çelik set an extraordinary consistency record by winning seven consecutive races between 2015 and 2021.
• Most Wins by an Owner: Eliyeşil Stud holds the historical record with 13 victories, spanning from the horse "Darling" to "Popular Demand."
• Spectator Record: The 99th Gazi Race held on 29 June 2025 set a new attendance record with 61,700 spectators.

The 100th Gazi Race will be run over 2400 meters on a turf track, in accordance with traditional standards. According to competition rules, only three-year-old purebred English thoroughbreds foaled in Türkiye in 2023 are eligible to compete. Each horse may participate in this race only once in its lifetime.

The registration process for the 100th Gazi Race has been completed, with a total of 27 thoroughbreds entered: 22 as main entries and 5 as reserves. Of these, 25 are colts and 2 are fillies. The registered horses in alphabetical order are: Aimus Liberatus, Almighty Spirit, Anshba, Ballad King, Bay Nalçakan, Brando, Ersele Beyi, Goldrakhan, Jazz Runner, Joyful Forever, Kralın Dansı, Mandrake, Massimo Supremo, Metal Heart, Mucho Bueno, Rabovo, Silent Treatment, The Real One, Upamecano, Whizbang, Jaehaera, Neuro Math, Super Tomo, Falconndiae, Shadow Soldier, Rand Al Thor and Bizon.

The jockey declarations for the race will be announced on Friday, 26 June.

Due to its centenary status, the prize money for this race has been significantly increased. The official first-place prize is set at 50 million Turkish Lira. The prizes for the subsequent finishers are as follows: 20 million TL for second place, 10 million TL for third, 5 million TL for fourth, and 2.5 million TL for fifth.

In addition to the first-place prize, the owner of the winning horse will receive a special "100th Gazi Race Centenary Award" worth 50 million TL. When combined with registration fees, installment payments, and the owner’s bonus, the total amount received by the winning horse’s owner reaches 126,870,000 TL. If the owner is also the breeder, an additional breeding bonus is added, bringing the total prize to 141,870,000 TL. In accordance with a tradition dating back to 1970, winners are also presented with a solid silver statue of Atatürk on horseback, designed by sculptor Şadi Çalık.

The career achievements of the jockeys competing in this event are also of great significance. Alongside Sadettin Boyraz, who previously won the Gazi Race with "Caprice" in 2000 and "Pan River" in 2008, the participating jockeys include Hışman Çizik, Vedat Abiş, Mehmet Salih Çelik, Ercan Çankaya, Müslüm Çelik and Erhan Aktuğ.

^{Halis Karataş at the grave of Bold Pilot (AA)}

The position of jockey Ahmet Çelik in the race’s history is particularly notable. Ahmet Çelik has won the Gazi Race seven consecutive times (with the horses Renk, Graystorm, Piano Sonata, Hep Beraber, The Last Romance, Call To Victory and Burgas), setting a record in this category. Having won the 99th race in 2025 with the horse "Cutha," Çelik now has eight victories overall and aims to tie the record held by jockey Mümin Çılgın for the most wins in the Gazi Race (nine wins).

On Sunday, 28 June, at the Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome, the 100th Gazi Race will be held alongside the other races of the 33rd race day of the season. The day’s program includes: the Yeditepe Race (G1), the Haliç Race (G1), the Nesine Anafartalar Race (G2), the Nene Hatun Race (G2/D), the Zübeyde Hanım Race (G2/D), the Ali Rıza Bey Race (G2/DHT), and the Kocatepe Race (G3/ULS).

Admission to the grandstands for racegoers is free, while access to the paddock, restaurants and private boxes is subject to a fee. The event will be broadcast live and free-to-air on TJK TV and TAY TV channels. In keeping with the cultural tradition inspired by Royal Ascot in England, spectators in the protocol and invited grandstands are expected to wear large hats and specially designed attire. Additionally, the documentary "İlelebet Gazi," directed by Vakkas Aksu and reflecting the culture and history of the race, will be screened on TAY TV. The hippodrome has also been adorned with "100th Gazi Race" signage, and the surrounding areas and track have been fully prepared for the event.

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

100th Gazi Race is the centennial edition of the race organization held continuously since 1927 in honor of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a competition in which only once have three-year-old purebred English thoroughbreds participated in their racing careers. This historic race took place on Sunday, 28 June 2026, at the Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul, conducted on a turf track over a distance of 2,400 meters. The race, featuring a total of 22 purebred horses, was won by "Bay Nalçakan," a purebred colt ridden by jockey Halis Karataş, who finished in first place.

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

The race was structured according to Turkish horse racing standards, held on a turf track over a distance of 2,400 meters. According to registered data, this event at Veliefendi Hippodrome was attended by a record-breaking 67,200 ticketed spectators. As part of the official program prior to the race, a traditional parade ceremony was conducted by the Ekrem Kurt Apranti Education Center.

Among the notable personalities who followed the event from the hippodrome were Yağız Can Konyalı, Derya Şensoy, Elit Andaç Çam, Ceren Benderlioğlu, Ekin Koç, Farah Zeynep Abdullah, Saadet Işıl Aksoy, Melodi Elbirliler Türkmen and Arda Türkmen.

The finishing order and recorded times of the purebred horses at the finish line were as follows:

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

• First: "Bay Nalçakan," a purebred colt owned by Emrah Nalçakan and bred by Gençay Dilek Emirsoy, finished first in the race. Trained by Hikmet Turan and belonging to the bloodline "Torok - Kassama / Nayef," the horse recorded a time of 2:29.49 under jockey Halis Karataş.
• Second: "Rabovo," owned by Fedai Kahraman and ridden by jockey Ahmet Çelik, finished second with a time of 2:29.96.
• Third: "Ersele Beyi," owned by Murat Aktaş and ridden by jockey Ercan Çankaya, finished third with a time of 2:30.02. Its bloodline is recorded as "General Quarters - Kedi Kız / Discreet Cat."
• Fourth: "Brando," declared by Eray Çizik and belonging to the bloodline "Papa Clem - Ateş Girl / Always A Classic," finished fourth.
• Fifth: "Upamecano," ridden by jockey Gökhan Kocakaya and belonging to the bloodline "Epaulette - Elif Hatun / Yavuzstar," secured fifth place.

The technical distances between the horses at the finish line were measured as follows: 3 lengths, 1/2 length, a neck and 1 length.

"Bay Nalçakan," the winner of the race, had previously won the G2-status Mehmet Akif Ersoy Race. With this victory in the 100th Gazi Race, the horse achieved its second consecutive and fourth overall Group race win.

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

Jockey Halis Karataş, with this result, secured his seventh Gazi Race championship. His previous win in this race was 12 years ago in 2014, aboard the horse "Blaze To Win."

The prize structure for the 100th Gazi Race was determined in accordance with Turkish horse racing regulations. The owner of the winning horse was awarded a first-place prize of 50 million Turkish Liras. In addition to this amount, the owner of the first-place horse received a special 100th Anniversary Gazi Race Prize of 50 million Turkish Liras, along with registration fees, installment charges and owner bonuses, resulting in a total financial gain of 126 million 870 thousand Turkish Liras.

The prize distribution for the other placed horses was as follows: 20 million Turkish Liras for second place, 10 million Turkish Liras for third, 5 million Turkish Liras for fourth, and 2 million 500 thousand Turkish Liras for fifth.

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

Following the conclusion of the race, an official cup ceremony was held on a special platform erected beside the track at Veliefendi Hippodrome. The cup was presented to Emrah Nalçakan, owner of the winning horse "Bay Nalçakan," by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gümen, Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and Deputy Chairman of the High Commissioners Council. The award on behalf of the trainer was presented to Olga Nalçakan by Istanbul Deputy Governor Mustafa Kaya. Jockey Halis Karataş received his award from General Bahtiyar Ersay, Commander of the Istanbul Garrison.

^{100th Gazi Race (AA)}

The cup ceremony was also attended by Mehmet Mehdi Eker, Member of the Presidency Council for Agriculture and Food Policies, Serdal Adalı, President of the Turkish Jockey Club, members of the Board of Directors and numerous guests. Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak issued a message after the race congratulating horse owner Emrah Nalçakan and jockey Halis Karataş. In his official remarks following the ceremony, owner Emrah Nalçakan stated that the horse had demonstrated its potential from its first race and, after necessary adjustments, had transformed into a record-breaking thoroughbred.

As part of the event program, the long-standing "Elegance and Style Competition" was held. Based on the evaluations of jury member Zeynep Kartal, Yasemin Gabaş, Gizem Karayel and Cemre Geze were awarded in the adult category, while Ceylin Aslan Beyaz and Deniz Küçükel received awards in the youth category.