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Sea Gaze Takes First Round of Don K. Memorial
Sea Gaze and Orlando Mojica rallied late in the lane to pick up the first round of the Don K. Memorial Starter Handicap Saturday, Aug. 22. The $30,000 event is the first of five in the series named after former HBPA executive director Don Kubovchik, who succumbed to cancer in the past few years. Kubovchik served in that capacity for seven years prior to his death.
Starting from post five in the talented six-horse lineup, Sea Gaze was not rushed out of the gate, taking a seat at the back of the tightly-knit group heading into the first turn. Squander and Jesse Garcia challenged Minimast and Emanuel Cosme for the early call. Ok Nothanksforaskn and Rodney Prescott were also close to the front end.
Down the backstretch, Mojica moved up slightly with Sea Gaze and by the time the pack had hit the final turn, he was positioned just behind the top trio of horses on the lead. Sea Gaze was able to dip inside slightly to save a little ground before the stretch drive.
In the stretch, it took several strides for Sea Gaze to get any forward motion going for Mojica. However, Mojica did not let up and eventually, his work paid off as Sea Gaze accelerated in the final strides to pass Ok Nothanksforaskn for the win.
Sea Gaze won in the end by two lengths over Ok Nothanksforaskn. Minimast kept up his perfect record of not finishing out of the top three in 2009 by finishing third.
“They (Sea Gaze’s connections) told me to be close and try to save ground if I could,” said Mojica. “Then, when we turn for home, get it. I couldn’t believe he paid $13.00. He is a little slow to pass horses but he’s a nice horse and I appreciate the opportunity to get to ride him. I thought he raced good.”
Owned and trained by Steve Asmussen, who claimed the horse earlier this year at Fair Grounds for $7,500, Sea Gaze is now three for nine and more than $50,000 in earnings for 2009. The chestnut son of Graeme Hall has five career wins.
Mojica concluded the Saturday program with two wins on the nine-race card. The leading rider the past two years, Mojica currently leads the standings again this season with 21 wins through the first 18 days of racing. He is currently ranked seventh in the nation for wins in 2009.
