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Jockey Of The Month: Pablo Morales Continues Living The Dream With New Personal Best

From 2017-2019, Pablo Morales rode 200 or more winners a year while establishing a personal-best earnings mark of $4,053,906 in 2019.

Despite those accomplishments, no one could predict the outcome when Morales left Tampa Bay Downs last December to compete at Aqueduct, known for its high purse money and strong jockey colony. And more than a few observers clucked “I told you so” when Morales started the 2020-2021 winter meeting at “The Big A” with only two victories from 53 mounts.

Behind his youthful, placid face, though, lies a steely determination to succeed. Morales (who had ridden four winners at Aqueduct during a “trial run” in early November of 2020) rebounded from his slow start to finish ninth in the winter meeting standings with 24 winners, including three stakes victories.

“I don't think I killed it, but I probably won enough races that people noticed,” Morales said.

That experience set the table for Morales to dominate this year's Presque Isle Downs meeting in Erie, Pa., where he rode 120 winners, 76 more than the runner-up. The 33-year-old product of Lima, Peru won with 32.2 percent of his mounts, a staggering figure for a 15-week meeting.

Morales has returned home for the 2021-2022 Tampa Bay Downs meeting, eager to see if he can challenge for a title among Oldsmar's deep colony. He has done nothing to disappoint his supporters early, winning nine races from his first 31 mounts to earn the Salt Rock Tavern Jockey of the Month Award.

Morales has also set a new personal single-season earnings mark in 2021 of $4.12-million-plus.

Agent Paula Bacon, for one, looks for the good times to continue.

“I think his confidence is better than ever, and that has gotten him even further,” said Bacon, a retired jockey. “He's confident in his decisions, and he has real good judgment. And I don't think anyone can out-finish him.”

Morales, who in recent years has turned to training in the ring with a boxing instructor to keep strong, believes he is at the peak of his skills. But he isn't taking anything for granted, aware of the dedication needed to stay at his current level.

“I love winning and I love racing. That is the thing I know how to do best,” said Morales, who has 2,268 career victories and has ridden at least 100 winners each year since 2010. “My goal, really, is maintaining – being able to keep working, hopefully keep getting titles and having a better season than before.

“My dream was always to come to the United States and be a jockey, and I get to live it and get the benefits of giving my family (wife Erin and children Sophia and Camilo) a good life.”

In the meantime, his quick start aside, Morales will keep fine-tuning the staying power that made 2021 such an excellent year and is reflected in so many of his come-from-behind victories.

“I can do whatever is needed, but usually I'm a guy who likes to sit on a horse and let them do their own running early instead of riding them off their feet,” he said. “When you have some horse left underneath you, they usually give you a pretty good kick and you're able to finish strong on them.”

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Red-Hot Luis Saez Records Second Straight Four-Win Day At Gulfstream Park

Fresh off a four-win day Wednesday, jockey Luis Saez added another four trips to the Gulfstream Park winner's circle Thursday to take over the top spot in the Championship Meet standings.

The 29-year-old native of Panama, who won back-to-back Championship Meet titles in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, entered the day tied with idle Paco Lopez with 12 wins apiece before scoring aboard Whiskeyonhislips ($3.40) in Race 2, Current Situation ($8) in Race 3, Bird Wildcat ($5.20) in Race 6 and Avow ($4.20) in Race 10.

“I love to ride at Gulfstream Park; it's so familiar; it's where I first came to from Panama,” Saez said. “The horses are running good for us, and my agent is doing a wonderful job. I'm very grateful.”

Kiaran McLaughlin teamed with Saez following his retirement from training last year.

“I'm blessed to be with him. He's very classy,” Saez said. “I'm doing good and very happy.”

Saez is used to winning races in bunches at Gulfstream, where he rode a record-equaling seven winners on a card Jan. 24, 2018 and March 29, 2018.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $150,000 for Friday's program at Gulfstream Park, four racing days after a jackpot of $407,067.66 was taken down by one lucky bettor last Saturday.

Friday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Who's Hot: Jockey Tyler Gaffalione doubled aboard Dominant Joy ($2.40) in Race 1 and Seizing the Dream ($7) in Race 8.

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Jorge Ruiz Notches Four Wins As Racing Returns To Laurel Park On Thursday

Live racing resumed at Laurel Park on Thursday, Dec. 16 for the first time since Nov. 28. The main track at Laurel was closed for an examination on Nov. 29 after an alarming number of fatalities – four from racing injuries and three while training – occurred between Nov. 6-28. The Maryland Jockey Club followed that inspection by cancelling racing and suspending morning workouts to allow for repair of the surface.

It was the second time in 2021 that racing at Laurel was halted because of track conditions. The first occurrence was in April after a spike in musculoskeletal injuries, which led to racing being shifted to Pimlico on an emergency basis. Track ownership undertook a multi-million dollar track renovation project that wasn't completed until August, with racing resuming at Laurel in September.

With help from noted trackmen Dennis Moore from California, Glen Kozak from the New York Racing Racing Association, and former MJC track superintendent John Passero, Maryland Jockey Club officials explained at last week's meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission that the most likely explanation for the cluster of fatalities was that water seeped into a seam in the base material of the stretch before that base material was able to cure, causing a slight depression. That has been repaired, and several additional changes have been made.

“We've been out every single day, day and night, to make sure that we have the best racing surface possible,” Laurel's track superintendent Chris Bosley said during this Tuesday's meeting of the Maryland Racing Commission. “There's been a huge learning curve with this material and this track from when it was put in in July to where we are now.”

Jockey Jorge Ruiz notched four wins on the day, and Sola Dei Gloria Stable's Bustoff completed a daily double for teenage riding sensation Charlie Marquez and trainer Hugh McMahon with his front-running triumph in Thursday's feature race.

A 6-year-old Maryland-bred Haynesfield gelding, Bustoff ($7.40) completed one mile in 1:38.96 over a fast main track to win the third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up by 3 ½ lengths. Torch of Truth rallied late to edge 20-1 long shot Whiskey and You by a neck for second.

The return of racing and condition of the track was met with positive reviews by horsemen.

“It's much better; like night and day,” trainer Dale Capuano said. A winner of more than 3,500 career races, Capuano saddled Taking Risks Stable and Louis J. Ulman's favored Zen Pi ($4.60) to victory in the opener, a six-furlong claimer for 3-year-olds and up. The winning time under jockey Jorge Ruiz was 1:12.55.

“We're tickled to death. Jorge said the track felt good,” Capuano said. “You can tell by the time. These horses should run [1:12] and change and that's what he did,” he added. “It's good. I think they're run on the right track. I think getting [consultants] John Passero and Glenn Kozak was the right thing to do. We're all after the same thing. We might have different approaches to getting there but we're all for safe racing and keeping our horses and riders safe.”

Ruiz's other winners Thursday were Tenax ($12.20) for trainer Ken Cox in Race 3, Bourbon Wildcat ($30.20) for trainer Jose Magana in Race 6 and Capuano-trained Boss Logic ($6) in Race 8. Ruiz ranks second to Jevian Toledo in wins at the fall meet, 44-42.

Toledo leads all riders with 102 wins this year at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course, two more than the 18-year-old Marquez. Angel Cruz is third with 84 and Ruiz fourth at 82.

“The track is now different. Before it was hard, now it's deeper and a little fluffier,” Ruiz said. “The horses hit the ground a little more softly.”

Notes: Laurel will host a nine-race card starting at 12:25 p.m. Friday … Saturday is Maryland Spectacular Day with nine live races including a pair of $100,000 stakes for Maryland-bred/sired horses: the Maryland Juvenile and Maryland Juvenile Fillies. Also on the day are Holiday Giving Tree and Give a Gift/Get a Gift promotions, as well as a 2022 Maryland racing calendar giveaway.

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Jockeys’ Guild Virtual Assembly Includes Presentations On Mental Health Awareness, Proposed HISA Regulations

The Jockeys' Guild held its Annual Meeting virtually again this year on Dec. 7, 2021. The virtual meeting was attended by active Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys from around the country.

The highlights included a synopsis of the short film THE FALL by Equine Productions' Visual Director Nathan Horrocks, who co-directed the feature with Cold Feet star Robert Bathurst. Horrocks has been in racing most of his life and has witnessed firsthand the mental health challenges that jockeys face on a daily basis. His hope is to raise awareness of the mental health struggles within the sport of racing and let jockeys know they do not have to suffer in silence.

Racing advocate and long-time supporter of the jockeys Sen. Damon Thayer (KY-R) addressed the members on the compromise he was instrumental in accomplishing in Kentucky regarding the use of the riding crop, as well as the increase in losing mount fees at select tracks. His involvement, as well as his continued support, is invaluable.

Dr. David Lambert B.V.Sc. (Hons.), M.R.C.V.S, President and Founder of Equine Analysis, in Midway, Kentucky, presented “21st Century Solutions: Stopping Horses From Breaking Down.” The system, known as Stride Safe, employs sensors, which are placed in saddle towels, to track the movements of the horse and gather data which can be used to protect horses, and in turn, jockeys from life-threatening injuries. The system is currently being utilized at NYRA.

Ann McGovern, director of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's (“HISA”) Racetrack Safety standing committee, provided the jockeys with an update about the current status of the proposed racetrack safety rules, which have been formally submitted to the Federal Trade Commission. She also advised members about the intent of the Authority to provide regulations assuring for the safety of the horses, thereby, improving the safety of the jockeys. Jockeys voiced their concerns regarding changes that have occurred with racing, as well as their ongoing worry with regards to the safety issues created by the restrictive use of the riding crop and the penalties being proposed by HISA. The Jockeys' Guild will submit public comments to the FTC and encouraged others to do so as well.

Nancy LaSala, Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (“PDJF”) President, and PDJF Board Member and horse owner/breeder Paul Braverman gave an update on the PDJF. Mr. Braverman emphasized that the PDJF has made a commitment to the disabled jockeys for the rest of their lives, yet there is no committed source of funding from the industry. Like many other non-profit organizations, COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their customary fundraising efforts and was a stark reminder of the need for institutional funding. In response to horse owner's requests, the PDJF has created a new initiative called “Rider's Up” that has the full support of the PDJF Board and has been presented to many industry stakeholders. The PDJF is hopeful that contributions generated from the Rider's Up Initiative by horse owners will enable the PDJF to increase its monthly stipends to recipients who have suffered career-ending catastrophic injuries.

In support of this worthy cause, the Jockeys' Guild Senate members voted to adopt a new policy, whereby winning Jockeys' Guild members of races with purses over $70,000 will contribute 0.005 percent of their earnings, capped at $200. This would be a separate program from the “one dollar program” that is already in place and would continue to be offered at the tracks that do not offer purses of $70,000 or more. Like the horse owners program, the jockeys will have the ability to opt-out. The Guild Senate formally adopted this proposal to support the PDJF's Riders Up initiative with the intent of encouraging the horsemen organizations to follow suit, such that both the winning owner and winning jockey can help to make a critical impact on the welfare of these disabled riders. It should be noted that many active jockeys already contribute money and their time to the PDJF, as well as donations to other jockeys who are injured.

The riders in attendance re-elected John Velazquez and Mike Smith as Co-chairmen, Javier Castellano and Julien Leparoux, along with newly elected Quarter Horse jockey James Flores, as Vice-Chairs, Joel Campbell as Treasurer and Rodney Prescott as Secretary. In addition, Alex Birzer, Joe Bravo, and Drayden Van Dyke were re-elected to the Board of Directors.

In a closed session, the members reviewed 2021 financials and the 2022 budget.

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