Uncle Mo

Two Phil's (Hard Spun), a too-good-to-lose second after racing on top of a hot pace in the GI Kentucky Derby, kicks off the second half of his season in Saturday's GIII Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner has been firing bullets for trainer Larry Rivelli at Hawthorne since, including a five-furlong move in :59 (1/14) June 8. Jockey Gerardo Corrales will replace the injured Jareth Loveberry in the irons. 'TDN Rising Star' Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), drawn one to the inside of the 8-5 morning-line favorite...

2nd-ELP, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:14 p.m. Two high-priced maidens will kick off their careers at Ellis Park Thursday. BC Stables paid $1.35 million for DAILY GRIND (Medaglia d'Oro) at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the bay colt is out of SW Walk Close (Tapit), who also produced his full-brother Anneau d'Or, second-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Lambo (Uncle Mo), trained by Steve Asmussen, brought $950,000 from the Heiligbrodts and Jackpot Farm at OBS March after posting a :10 flat...

11th-CD, $120k, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, post time: 5:58 p.m. ET METHODOLOGY (Uncle Mo) is the latest foal to the races out of Grade III winner Innovative Idea (Bernardini), who took her career debut in 2014 who has since gone on to become the dam of Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile), victorious in the GI Acorn S. for the Brad Cox barn last season and a latest upset winner of the GI Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6. Innovative Idea is a daughter of MGSW/GISP Golden Velvet...

5th-Churchill Downs, $118,875, Msw, 5-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:17.49, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. MO TOWN MAYHEM (f, 3, Uncle Mo--Town Tour, by Speightstown), fifth in her debut going a mile over the Gulfstream turf Apr. 1, was let go at 14-1 while trying a dirt sprint this time. Well back in the early going, she was still well out of it through a half in :45.69, swung out seven wide turning for home, and despite seeming like she might have too much to do late, she closed to the...

DEAUVILLE, France--Close to €38 million had already been spent on juveniles at the four breeze-up sales in Europe to have preceded Arqana, and that figure has now risen to around €59 million following a bullish day of trading in Deauville. Featuring the season's only seven-figure breezer and with a much larger catalogue than usual, it was no surprise to see turnover increase, though a near-50% upturn was perhaps even better than anticipated, with the 140 sold bringing in a total of €21,110,500 to ring the new record bell. Other indicators...

There was plenty of talk about Powerstown Stud's son of Uncle Mo ahead of the Arqana Breeze-up Sale, and the colt shot to the top of the leaderboard when selling to Coolmore for €600,000. Offered as lot 51, the son of the multiple graded stakes winner Summer Applause (Harlan's Holiday) had been bought by Tom Whitehead for $165,000 at Keeneland last September. Signing the ticket on behalf of Coolmore, agent Jamie McCalmont confirmed that the colt would enter training with Todd Pletcher.

1st-Belmont, $87,300, Msw, 5-4, 2yo, f, 5f, :59.35, my, 6 1/2 lengths. PRINCESA CELINA (f, 2, Quality Road--Lastofthsummerwine, by Sky Mesa) kept her trainer's momentum from the Keeneland spring meet rolling with an impressive performance to open Belmont's spring/summer meet. Bet like a sure thing at 1-5, the imposing bay broke alertly and chased outside of the early speed of Leslie's Loot (Fast Anna) through a quick quarter in :21.98. Kept under a hand ride by jockey Jose Ortiz, Princesa Celina easily maneuvered past her rival as they swung off...

Tom McCrocklin was calling all that winter, on and on about the same horse. "Listen," he said. "I got a Bolt d'Oro filly that can really run. I'm telling you, maybe as good as anything I've ever had." Mark Toothaker had to take heed; had to pass on the word to his employers at Spendthrift, where he is Stallion Sales Manager. After all, he has known McCrocklin since 1985, when he'd arrived at Louisiana Tech and found this guy who was a real man of the world: already a graduate,...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis OCALA, FL - For the third straight day, the team of Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, made the highest bid of the session, this time going to $2.2 million--top price of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training sale so far--to acquire a colt by Gun Runner from the de Meric Sales consignment as the Spring sale continued to produce figures largely in line with its record-setting 2022 renewal. Through three of four...

4th-Santa Anita, Mcl, 2-17, 3yo, 1m. TIZ TOK (r, 3, Tiznow--Weekend Prospect, by A.P. Indy). Lifetime Record: 4-1-0-0, $26,568. O-Hronis Racing. B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-John W. Sadler. As a play on words under the times we live in, naming a horse by Tiznow Tiz Tok simply is masterly, no doubt about it. BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $501,500, Santa Anita, 3-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m. A MO REAY, 122, f, 4, Uncle Mo-Margaret Reay, by Pioneerof the Nile). Lifetime Record: 12-5-1-3, $692,650. O-Hunter Valley Farm; B-T & G Farm of Kentucky LLC (KY);...

A new kingpin graces the No. 1 slot after a wild, final weekend of 100-point preps. The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the Derby" leaderboard Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths, with several horses included here who are currently below the cut.   1) PRACTICAL MOVE (c, Practical Joke--Ack Naughty, by Afleet Alex) O-Leslie & Pierre Jean Amestoy & Roger Beasley; B-Chad Brown & Head of Plains Partners (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. Sales history: $90,000 RNA yrl '21 KEESEP; $230,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-1-2,...

In the first graded win for young sire Mo Town (by Uncle Mo), Mo Stash (Mo Town--Making Mark Money, by Smart Strike) hung tough on the lead to win the GIII Kentucky Utilities Transylvania S. on opening day of the always-anticipated spring meet at Keeneland. Nagirroc (Lea), who finished one spot in front of the Transylvania winner in their only previous meeting, the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf over this course, was second with Webslinger (Constitution)--11th in the Juvenile Turf--third. The complexion of the race changed when Chad Brown scratched...