Pablo Morales entered the seventh race Wednesday knowing next-to-nothing about his mount Hoku, other than that the 3-year-old gelding had worked out well at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach in preparation for his career debut.
To Morales, the unspoken instructions from the connections of Hoku to “just win, baby” lit a fire to do what he does best: coax the best performance possible through a combination of the horse's talent and his own race-riding skills. “(Trainer Kelsey Danner's assistant) told me he seems to do things very handily in the morning, so that gave me some confidence,” Morales said.
After breaking from the far outside No. 10 post, Morales got good position in the middle of the pack heading up the backstretch of the 1-mile turf event. “It's just the typical plan, but you don't really know if the horse has any speed or if he's going to be green (inexperienced), so you kind of play it by ear most of the way around,” Morales said.
“I was able to split horses and when I gave him a tap he got into the bridle, so I thought 'OK, we're in good shape now. We'll see what we have down the lane.' He ran hard and he's still a little green, and when I hit him right-handed he ducked in on me. But he was running, so after I hit him once I (thought) OK, I'm just going to hand-ride him the rest of the way.”
Dismissed by most bettors, Hoku paid $39.20 to win, and had the added benefit of clinching the Boot Barn Jockey of the Month Award for Morales, who edged newcomer Carlos Eduardo Rojas for the honor. After riding four winners today, Morales has 17 at the current meet, four behind leader Samy Camacho.
Hoku's maiden special weight victory wasn't a huge deal in the overall scheme of things, but illustrated the thoughtful, no-nonsense approach the 34-year-old Morales brings to his workplace.
Paula Bacon, his agent, thinks the Lima, Peru product is nearing the prime of his career, and this year's performance attests to her belief. He arrived at Tampa Bay Downs after winning his eighth riding title at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., and has 210 victories this year, marking the fourth time in the last six years he has reached 200.
In July at Woodbine in Toronto, Morales notched the third graded-stakes triumph of his career, winning the Grade II Highlander Stakes on 8-year-old Bound for Nowhere for owner-trainer Wesley Ward. His 24.97-percent strike rate in 2022 is exceeded by only two jockeys having ridden 150 or more winners.
Bacon says positivity and confidence have Morales striving to add to those achievements.
“His confidence level has improved (over the past couple of years),” Bacon said. “He's gotten very confident in his decision-making and his ability to ride a good race, and that is the biggest thing that has kept him moving forward.”
Bacon, Morales's agent for the last six years, credits his even-keeled personality for helping him produce results and making him a pleasure to work with.
“When things aren't going as well as he wants, or business is a little slow, he never gets upset. He knows things will come around, and when you think like that it's inevitable you're going to do well,” Bacon said.
Morales, who had ridden 2,481 career winners, draws inspiration from his wife Erin and their children Sophia, 12, and Camilo, 10. “I love my life,” he said. He also enjoys pitting his skills against his rivals in what, arguably, is the most competitive colony in track history. That makes his goal of winning an Oldsmar riding title so difficult, and the pursuit so fun.
“I would love to get a title here – that's been a dream of mine,” said Morales, runner-up to Camacho last season. “But I know nothing is given to you. It's a tough colony with riders and trainers from all over the place, and with the exception of Tim Hamm, most of the top trainers here are not from the circuit I am.
“But I feel it's gotten a little easier because of the record I've been able to maintain. So we manage to scrape up wins early and put ourselves right in the race, usually.”
No matter where he rides, Morales's biggest goal is getting the opportunities to prove what he can do. He's a naturally small jockey who fits most horses like well-crafted shoes, a natural talent who won the Grade II Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on The Daddy in 2005 at age 17 (half a lifetime ago, hmmm).
“The thing that makes you enjoy your job is when you get the opportunities (to excel),” Morales said. “I would do it no matter what, but when you're getting those mounts and are able to get it going, you enjoy it that much more. I'm extremely appreciative for the trainers and owners who support me, because without them, a jockey is nothing.”
The post ‘I Know Nothing Is Given To You’: Pablo Morales Named Tampa’s Jockey Of The Month appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
