On Friday I was fortunate enough to win an allowance race with a horse named Mobilized. In horse racing, every win is special, but this one meant a little more. Mobilized was owned by Bob Reseigne, who passed away suddenly last week. Bob was both a friend and a client, as well as one of the biggest horse racing fans I ever knew.
When he would call to talk about Mobilized, he was also quick to congratulate me on the successes of my other horses. Often he would wish out loud that bigger owners than himself would send me horses. That’s the kind of person Bob was – honest, appreciative, and generous. Everyone should be as lucky as I to have had the support of a man like Bob Reseigne.
I learned of Bob’s passing the day before I was to enter Mobilized for Friday’s race. With a heavy heart, I informed his son Bob and daughter Laurie of their father’s intention to run Mobilized, and they agreed that we should stick to the plan. As Friday drew nearer, the weather forecast became murkier, and I worried that racing could possibly be cancelled that day. Also worrisome was the presence of a Bob Baffert-trained colt named Totally Bull in our race. Mobilized had been training exceptionally well, but Totally Bull is a very fast colt who had just finished second in his last race. Mobilized has always been a horse that has to wait near the back of the pack, and then make one run at the very end of the race. Totally Bull would surely have an advantage over us with his natural gate speed, and figured to improve second off a long layoff.
Despite Friday’s rain, Bob junior and his wife Jackie joined me at the races, all of us hoping Mobilized could win just once more for his owner and breeder. When the gates opened, Mobilized did what he usually does, give everyone in the race a big headstart. Going down the backside, Totally Bull was nine lengths ahead of Mobilized, and traveling well within himself. But as they entered the far turn, we could see Mobilized jump into the bridle and start to get a head of steam. He was closing in on Totally Bull turning for home, but Rafael Bejarano had no where to go with Mobilized except five wide. My heart jumped in my throat and for an instant I thought there was no way he could lose that much ground and still catch Totally Bull. But in the last furlong, Mobilized dug deep and made one last charge. Totally Bull was unrelenting, but Mobilized was reaching for the wire as if he knew how much it would mean to us all to win one more for Bob. In the final stride, Mobilized passed Totally Bull by just a head, giving me one of the most satisfying moments of my horse racing career.
We all joined Mobilized in the winner’s circle to have our picture taken. Afterward, Bob junior and I recounted our story to Scott Hazelton on HRTV, giving tribute to the man who will be missed greatly by us both.
