Sea Wizard not going anywhere – except a stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Late in 2014, owner Mac Nichol and trainer John Mazza won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park with a promising soon-to-be 3-year-old. Nichol sold a majority interest in that horse for $1 million to Cheyenne Stables, and he was transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher.

The horse, Madefromlucky, won the Peter Pan Stakes and West Virginia Derby, a pair of Grade 2 stakes.

Last Sunday, Nichol and Mazza won a maiden race at Gulfstream with Sea Wizard. The offers have been coming in ever since. So far, Nichol has held onto the son of Uncle Mo.

“He doesn’t want to sell,” Mazza said Friday at Gulfstream Park. “He sold the other horse, and he can’t even get a trophy.”

Mazza believes the success of the stallion Uncle Mo has made Sea Wizard very attractive to potential buyers. The horse has also shown talent in both of his starts.

Last October, Sea Wizard debuted in a seven-furlong maiden race at Belmont Park, finishing second to the Pletcher-trained Destin. This year, Destin has won the Sam F. Davis Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby and is considered by many a top-flight Kentucky Derby prospect.

Sea Wizard made his 3-year-old debut on Sunday, winning a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race in 1:03.25 and earning an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He won so impressively it was unbelievable,” Mazza said. “He’s tough to train. I tried to slow him down, but he’s so tough he won’t slow down.”

Mazza said Sea Wizard came out of the race “very good.”

“I don’t have any plans yet,” he said. “I’ll sit down with Mac. I’m sure he’ll leave it up to me.”

Mazza said Sea Wizard will ship to Monmouth Park on April 23. Mazza has been based at Monmouth Park for more than 50 years. One option for Sea Wizard’s next start could be the $100,000 Gold Fever Stakes, a six-furlong race at Belmont on May 6. That race is a prep for the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont on June 7.