By Joe Bianca
Less than two months ago, it appeared as though Mo Town (Uncle Mo) and Irish War Cry (Curlin) had asserted themselves as leaders on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. Their current position is illustrative of how rocky that trail can be, as the two colts will each try to overcome uncharacteristically dull efforts and stamp their Derby ticket in the Grade II Wood Memorial S. Presented by NYRA Bets.
Mo Town, dubbed a 'TDN Rising Star' and bought into by Coolmore after a dominant maiden score for Team D last September at Belmont, looked an imposing prospect for 2017 after a convincing win in the GII Remsen S. Nov. 26 at Aqueduct. That race has turned out to be unproductive, however, and Mo Town disappointed most out of any of its runners with a nonthreatening fifth in the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 25 at Fair Grounds. Trainer Tony Dutrow has chalked that effort up to a dislike for the New Orleans surface. The $200,000 Keeneland September buy has only 10 Derby qualifying points, currently tied for 29th on the leaderboard.
“Is he a contender for the Kentucky Derby? He has everything to prove,” trainer Tony Dutrow told the NYRA notes team. “I thought he was well accomplished as a 2-year-old, both physically and mentally. I felt he was very intelligent and professional. I still do. He still got something out of the Risen Star. If he improves and runs well in the Wood Memorial, he has a chance of improving into the Kentucky Derby.”
One of those tied with him is Irish War Cry, who earned 'TDN Rising Star'status after a sensational debut romp Nov. 11 at Laurel. The Isabelle de Tomaso homebred looked to be on the precipice of stardom after a dominant victory in the GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. Feb. 4 at Gulfstream, but threw in a clunker when fading to seventh after chasing the pace in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4. The chestnut returned to trainer Graham Motion's Fair Hill base to record a six-furlong breeze in 1:13 2/5 (1/3) Sunday in preparation for this test.
“My theory is he probably bounced a little off the Holy Bull,” Motion said. “That track was a little cuppy and drying out a little. That's the only explanation I've come up with. I didn't see anything wrong with him. He seemed like himself and he hasn't missed anything since.”
Even if the two headliners return to their top form, that won't guarantee anything against a pair of talented, lightly-raced sophomores also needing big performances to secure their spot in the Churchill starting gate.
Klaravich Stables and Bill Lawrence's Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music) was bet heavily in his local debut Feb. 11 and came through with a professional success after a troubled start. The $200,000 KEESEP grad stretched out to two turns and stepped into stakes company with aplomb Mar. 4, running a strong second after chasing a fast pace in the GIII Gotham S. Conditioned by Chad Brown, the dark bay has drilled sharply over the Belmont training track in the interim, including a five-furlong bullet breeze in 1:00 2/5 (1/38) Mar. 25.
St. Elias Stable's Battalion Runner (Unbridled's Song) is an intriguing prospect for the Todd Pletcher barn. Bought for $700,000 as a KEESEP yearling, the handsome gray romped by 8 3/4 lengths Dec. 31 at Gulfstream to become a 'TDN Rising Star' and followed that up with a more workmanlike tally going two turns there Feb. 3. Battalion Runner would be the fifth Wood winner for trainer Todd Pletcher, who captured the race in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2016.
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