7,000^th Victory of Champion Jockey
Halis Karatas

Halis Karatas, maintaining his career successfully for 35 years, got his 7,000^th victory with thoroughbred Aslan Luigi at the Veliefendi Racecourse on 21 December.

Please click here to watch the race.

Can N. Guven, Executive Board Member of the Jockey Club of Turkey, presented an award to Halis Karatas, following the race.

Aylin Sevim, Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager of the Jockey Club of Turkey presented a bouquet to Halis Karatas at the ceremony.

Karatas said after the race: “It is such an honor to reach 7,000th victory. This is the first time for a jockey to win 7000 races in Turkey and there are only a few jockeys around the world. I am thrilled and proud to have such an accomplishment.” 

A career full of success

Halis Karatas, who is taken as an example by many of his colleagues both for his personality and his success, started his career on 20 June 1987, by winning a race with a thoroughbred named Bonheur. 

His first great achievement was winning the Gazi Derby in 1996. Halis Karatas won the race with Bold Pilot, owned by Özdemir Atman, former President of the Jockey Club of Turkey. Their record for finishing time (2.26.22) on 2400 meters at the Gazi Derby, hasn't been beaten yet.

He won Gazi Derby, the Derby of Turkish Racing which has been organized uninterruptedly since 1927 and named after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, for 6 times with the following thoroughbreds: Bold Pilot (1996), Popular Demand (2005), Hızel Beyi (2006), Anatoly (2011), Matador Yaşar (2012) and Blaze to Win (2014).

Outstanding Success Award

Halis Karatas broke a record by winning all 7 races at the Veliefendi Racecourse on 20 July 2012 and shared the record of Frankie Dettori, who rode all seven winners on the card at Ascot. Mehmet Mehdi Eker, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of that time, presented the Outstanding Success Award to Halis Karatas.

A life story adapted into a movie

The great love story between Halis Karatas and his late wife Begüm Atman Karataş, being the Permanent Member of the Jockey Club of Turkey and sections from the life of Özdemir Atman, who was the President of the Jockey Club of Turkey between 1967 – 1968 and 1987 - 1990 was adapted into a movie named “Champion” (Bizim için Şampiyon).

189 Group 1 Victories

Since starting his career in 1987, Halis Karatas has won 189 G1 races so far.