Whether it’s jamming on guitar with his teenage son Camilo, a talented drummer; playing volleyball with daughter Sophia, 15; or enjoying a home-cooked meal followed by quiet time with wife Erin and the kids, jockey Pablo Morales keeps himself occupied away from the races.
It’s because of the quality of his “support staff” that the 37-year-old Lima, Peru product is able to concentrate fully on his assignments at the track. About the only thing the family doesn’t do together is rollerblading (inline skating), which Morales enjoys as a means of staying super-fit.
“I go too fast,” he said, laughing.
Morales is in a good place at Tampa Bay Downs, where he has won seven races thus far to earn the Martin’s Italian Jockey of the Month Award. Starting with Erin, he is thankful to be surrounded by loved ones willing to put each other first.
“What a better way to have a happy life than a wife who has your best interests at heart, takes good care of you and your kids and makes sure you have a delicious meal when you come home. The fact she is happy doing that for me, I feel blessed,” he said.
“Camilo goes to the School of Rock, and when he performs people are amazed. He’s into all the music I grew up on in Peru when I used to jam out in my band. Now I’m playing it with him, and it’s made me so much better of a guitar player.”
Morales relishes playing volleyball with Sophia as long as it’s what she is passionate about. “I kind of show my kids what to do,” he said. “But they wound up loving it themselves, which makes it that much easier to spend time with them enjoying it.”
For Morales, appreciation extends to his agent Paula Bacon, a former jockey. “We’ve been together for many years and she gets me good mounts and good business. She’s friends with a lot of good people, and that helps a lot.”
Although he knows his interviewer is going to leave out about 30 of the people he’s mentioned, the tone of his voice changes and you realize his father Pedro Morales, who lives in Miami with mom Gloria, qualifies for a shoutout.
“If I win a race and don’t call him, he’s sad. It means so much to have a fan like him – he thinks I’m the best jockey in the world.”
Morales, who rode 200 or more winners four times in a six-year span from 2017-2022, has 2,851 career victories, including the 2019 Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes on Well Defined for trainer Kathleen O’Connell at Tampa Bay Downs and three Grade II races, two for trainer Wesley Ward. Morales has nine riding titles at Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania, his summer place. He has to pinch himself sometimes to believe he is closing in on 3,000.
“I never dreamed of being close to that. It’s still far away, but hopefully not too far,” he said. “I wouldn’t even call it a dream because I never thought it was a possibility. The competition is tough everywhere, and now that I am getting close I really want it.”
Five of Morales’s victories have come on the turf, where he benefits from his experience, decision-making skills and ability to save a horse’s best for a strong finish. “It’s a different way of riding, and I think I have this turf course figured out pretty well,” he said. “It’s more tactical than riding on the dirt. There are more factors going on – you have to be patient, look for the pace and save ground.
“I try to keep my horse comfortable and not to be aggressive early because I know most turf races are won at the wire. I try to keep my horses happy and not force them to do anything too soon so we’ll have a good finish late.”
And if eight or nine other riders have the same idea, Morales will take his chances. He’s fit, focused and eager to keep those closest to him proud of his efforts.
“I like to warm up and stretch real good before my races. You’ll never see me just sitting there – I’m going to be lifting weights or stretching or meditating, getting my mind and body ready to perform,” he said.
Around the oval. Alex Gonzalez rode two winners today. He captured the first race on Mucho Macho Lady, a 2-year-old filly owned and trained by Francisco Alanis. Gonzalez added the third race with Speedy Hans, an 8-year-old gelding owned by Lima Horse Racing with Enrique Hernandez as trainer.
Hernandez also won the second race with Fields of Green, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Lima Horse Racing and ridden by Gabriel Maldonado.
Samuel Marin rode back-to-back winners today. He won the fourth race on Long Gone Sally, a 3-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Joel Sainer and trained by J. David Braddy. Long Gone Sally was claimed from the race for $8,000 by trainer Lynn Rarick for new owner Tom Abrahamson.
Marin added the fifth race on the turf aboard Noble Factor, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Midnight Rider and trained by Darien Rodriguez.
Cipriano Gil was the third jockey to ride two winners. He won the sixth race on Homer Jones, a 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Nigale Racing Group and trained by Juan Carlos Avila. Gil added the eighth on Abeliefinthislivin, a 5-year-old horse owned by Highfield Investment Group and trained by Craig R. Smith.
Thoroughbred racing continues Saturday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:32 p.m. The turf races – Nos. 3, 5, 7 and 9 – will begin in the straightaway rather than the chute.
Tampa Bay Downs is open every day except Christmas, Dec. 25, for simulcast wagering, no-limits action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.
Officials and staff of Tampa Bay Downs invite Thoroughbred lovers and newcomers alike to share in the excitement of the Oldsmar oval’s meet-long centennial celebration, commemorating the track’s opening on Feb. 18, 1926.
