Uncle Mo (March 10, 2008 – December 19, 2024) was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse who went undefeated in his two-year-old season and was named the American Champion Two-Year-Old of 2010. However, his three-year-old season was disrupted by illness, causing him to miss the Kentucky Derby. Retired to stud in 2012, he was the leading freshman sire with his first foal crop, which included 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.
| Uncle Mo | |
|---|---|
 Uncle Mo (right) battles Caleb's Posse in the 2011 King's Bishop Stakes. | |
| Sire | Indian Charlie |
| Grandsire | In Excess |
| Dam | Playa Maya |
| Damsire | Arch |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | March 10, 2008 |
| Died | December 19, 2024 (aged 16) |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | D. Michael Cavey |
| Owner | Repole Stable |
| Trainer | Todd A. Pletcher |
| Record | 8: 5-1-1 |
| Earnings | US$1,336,000 |
| Major wins | |
| Champagne Stakes (2010) Timely Writer Stakes (2011) Kelso Handicap (2011) Breeders' Cup wins: Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2010) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt (2010) | |
Racing career
edit2010: two-year-old season
editIn his first start, a maiden special weight on the Travers undercard at Saratoga, Uncle Mo led at every call to beat a field of 2-year-olds by 14 1/4 lengths. In his next start, the Grade I Champagne Stakes, he took the lead early and never looked back en route to a 5-length win in the time of 1:34 2/5 seconds—faster than Secretariat's 1972 Champagne win.
In the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Uncle Mo won by four lengths over Grade 1 winner Boys at Tosconova.[1] He was voted the 2010 Eclipse Award as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.[2]
2011: three-year-old season
editAs the early favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series,[3] Uncle Mo made his 3-year-old debut in the Timely Writer, a one-turn mile overnight stakes at Gulfstream Park. After dawdling on the lead for the first three-quarters of a mile, he came home in 22 4/5 for the final quarter.
His next start was the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on April 9.[4] Running 9 furlongs for the first time in his career, Uncle Mo was defeated by Toby's Corner and finished third.
After his upset at 1-10 odds, he was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal infection but was still sent to Churchill Downs in anticipation of a start in the Kentucky Derby. After finishing a course of antibiotics, regressing immediately after stopping medication, and losing over 70 pounds in the weeks before the Derby, he was scratched the day before the race.[5]
Sent to Winstar Farm to recuperate and receive attention from top veterinarians, Uncle Mo was diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis, a rare liver disease. He began treatment while continuing to rest at Winstar. After gaining back 110 pounds in two months, he returned to trainer Todd Pletcher's barn at Saratoga on July 11, 2011. He resumed training and finished second to Caleb's Posse in the 7-furlong King's Bishop Stakes on August 1, 2011.
Retirement to stud
editUncle Mo was retired from racing on November 10, 2011, shortly after finishing 10th in the Breeders' Cup Classic. His retirement was prompted due to elevated levels of the liver enzyme GGT, which also occurred earlier in the season and led to a diagnosis of cholangiohepatitis.
Uncle Mo began standing at Ashford Stud, the American arm of Irish breeding giant Coolmore, for the 2012 Thoroughbred breeding season,[6] and later became a "shuttle stallion" servicing mares at Coolmore's American and Australian farms.[7][8]
Uncle Mo was the leading freshman sire of 2015 in North America and the overall leading sire of two-year-olds in Europe and North America.[9] In 2016, he was not only the leading second-crop sire, he also finished third in the general sire listing despite having only two crops of racing age.[10] His stud fee was increased to $150,000 for the 2017 season.[11]
On December 19, 2024, Mike Repole announced on his X account that Uncle Mo had been euthanized at the age of 16. He said that Uncle Mo had injured his left foreleg, and underwent surgery on the day before his death. "Uncle Mo was so much more to me than a champion and iconic stallion—he was and always will be part of my family," he said.[12]
Notable progeny
editUncle Mo has sired 15 individual Grade I winners.
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
| Foaled | Name | Sex | Major Wins |
| 2013 | Gomo | f | Alcibiades Stakes |
| 2013 | Nyquist | c | Del Mar Futurity, FrontRunner Stakes, Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby |
| 2013 | Outwork | c | Wood Memorial Stakes |
| 2013 | Unbridled Mo | f | Apple Blossom Handicap |
| 2014 | Mo Town | c | Hollywood Derby |
| 2015 | Dream Tree | f | Starlet Stakes |
| 2016 | Mo Forza | c | Hollywood Derby |
| 2017 | Bast | f | Del Mar Debutante Stakes, Chandelier Stakes, Starlet Stakes |
| 2017 | Yaupon | c | Forego Stakes |
| 2018 | Golden Pal | c | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint |
| 2019 | Mo Donegal | c | Belmont Stakes |
| 2019 | Adare Manor | f | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (2023, 2024) |
| 2019 | A Mo Reay | f | Beholder Mile Stakes |
| 2020 | Arabian Knight | c | Pacific Classic Stakes |
| 2020 | Kingsbarns | c | Stephen Foster Stakes |
Race Record
edit| Date | Track | Race | Distance | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/23/2010 | Saratoga | Maiden | 6 Furlongs | 1 |
| 10/9/2010 | Belmont Park | Champagne Stakes | 8 Furlongs | 1 |
| 11/6//2010 | Churchill Downs | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | 8 ½ Furlongs | 1 |
| 3/12/2011 | Gulfstream Park | Timely Writer Stakes | 8 Furlongs | 1 |
| 4/9/2011 | Aqueduct | Wood Memorial | 9 Furlongs | 3 |
| 8/27/2011 | Saratoga | King's Bishop Stakes | 7 Furlongs | 2 |
| 10/1/2011 | Belmont Park | Kelso Handicap | 8 Furlongs | 1 |
| 11/5/2011 | Churchill Downs | Breeders' Cup Classic | 10 Furlongs | 10 |
Pedigree
edit| Sire Indian Charlie |
In Excess | Siberian Express | Caro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Call | |||
| Kantado | Saulingo | ||
| Vi | |||
| Soviet Sojourn | Leo Castelli | Sovereign Dancer | |
| Suspicious Native | |||
| Political Parfait | Diplomat Way | ||
| Peach Butter | |||
| Dam Playa Maya |
Arch | Kris S. | Roberto |
| Sharp Queen | |||
| Aurora | Danzig | ||
| Althea | |||
| Dixie Slippers | Dixieland Band | Northern Dancer | |
| Mississippi Mud | |||
| Cyane's Slippers | Cyane | ||
| Hot Slippers |
References
edit- ^ Bloomberg Businessweek November 06, 2010
- ^ Daily Racing Form, January 6, 2011
- ^ "MSNC, February 14, 2011". Archived from the original on February 15, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ BloodHorse, March 31, 2011
- ^ "Uncle Mo Scratched Out of Kentucky Derby". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ Grening, David (November 11, 2011). "Uncle Mo retired from racing". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ^ "Coolmore Stallions: Coolmore America Roster". Coolmore Stud. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- ^ "Coolmore Stallions: Coolmore Australia Roster". Coolmore Stud. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- ^ Oppenheim, Bill (22 March 2016). "The Uncle Mo Show". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Interactive Sire Lists". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ "Ashford Stud Releases 2017 Fees". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- ^ Collins, Sean (19 December 2024). "Ashford Stallion Uncle Mo Dies at Age 16". Blood Horse. Retrieved 19 December 2024.