Mo Town

MO TOWN (c, Uncle Mo—Grazie Mille, by Bernardini)

'TDN Rising Star' O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Team D. B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock (KY). T-Anthony W. Dutrow. Sales History: $200,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-1-0, $251,600.

Mar. 28 TDN Top 20 Rank: 5

Last Start: 5th, GII Risen Star S., FG, Feb. 25

Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Remsen S., AQU, Nov. 26

Next Start: GII Wood Memorial S., AQU, Apr. 8

Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs, Caulfield on Mo Town

KY Derby Points: 10

Roughly one-quarter of the horses ranked within the Top 20 are in need of rebounding sharply to get back to firmer footing on the Derby trail. Mo Town is the highest ranked among them, and the fact that he is returning to the surface and distance of his most decisive victory this Saturday tilts the balance in his favor of his making the leap back into contention. It's been well documented that this 'TDN Rising Star' didn't care for the footing when he was a badly beaten favorite at the Fair Grounds, and one can only wonder how Mo Town's campaign might otherwise have unfolded had trainer Dutrow instead opted for the Mar. 4 Gotham S., which earlier in the year had been mentioned as his potential starting point. Mo Town will be ridden by Javier Castellano in the Wood Memorial, replacing John Velazquez, who was reportedly unable to commit. “We've been training him the same way and he's been responding to it,” Dutrow said prior to Mo Town shipping north from Payson Park. “Javier rode him in his first start and he's watched him in his other races, so he knows the horse. I think we're excellent.”

VIDEO PPS