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Bay Nalcakan, ridden by veteran jockey Halis Karatas, crossed the finish line first at Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul on June 29, becoming the champion of the 100th Gazi Race.
The Gazi Race, known internationally as the Derby of Turkish thoroughbred racing, has been run without interruption since 1927 in memory of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.
The race is open only to 3-year-old English thoroughbreds, and each horse can take part only once in its career, making the event one of the most important tests in Turkish racing.
The 100th edition brought racing fans together at Veliefendi Hippodrome in Bakirkoy, where families and horse lovers filled out the stands and watched the historic race unfold.
As the horses lined up in the green starting stalls, spectators fixed their eyes on the track and looked on as the signal set off one of Türkiye's most anticipated sporting events.
When the race kicked off, thousands of people stood up as Bay Nalcakan pushed ahead under Halis Karatas, turning the final stretch into the defining moment of the day.
Karatas' ride carried Bay Nalcakan to victory in the 100th year of the race, placing the horse among the remembered champions of the Gazi Race history.
The first Gazi Race was held in 1927 and won by Neriman, while the event moved from Ankara to Istanbul in 1968 and has been held at Veliefendi ever since.
Beyond the race itself, the Gazi Race has long stood out as a summer event where families, racing fans and prominent figures from sport, business, politics and the arts come together at Veliefendi.
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