TDN RISING STARS

May 18, 2017 - Churchill Downs, Race 1, Msw, USD $43,000, 4 1/2F

Mo Diddley, G, 2, 2015 by Uncle Mo

1st Dam: Miss Bodine, by Vindication
2nd Dam: Guilded Times, by Crafty Prospector
3rd Dam: Our Mahney, by Olden Times

Owner: Gary Barber & Cheyenne Stables, LLC
Breeder: Andy Beadnell (NY)
Trainer: Mark E. Casse

Mo Diddley, bet like a sure thing on debut in the Thursday opener at Churchill, gave his backers anxious moments immediately after the latches opened, but overcame his poor break to win improbably and become the latest ‘TDN Rising Star’. Sporting a dazzling worktab, most notably going a half-mile from the gate in :46 4/5 (1/28) Apr. 26 at Keeneland, the $450,000 Fasig-Tipton August yearling buy took all the money to be 2-5 in this unveiling. Bearing out sharply from his outside draw at the start—so far as the go out of frame in the head-on replay–the dark bay was left in last early, but quickly made up ground and uncorked a five-wide sweep to challenge for the lead going into the turn. Straightening into the stretch on even terms with pacesetter Make Noise (Graydar), Mo Diddley nosed in front at the three-sixteenths pole, but his rival had plenty of fight left, and the two of them tussled to the line with the favorite prevailing by a head. The victor was the topper at the aforementioned Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale last August. His dam is a half to GSW/GISP Icecoldbeeratreds (In Excess {Ire}) and Controlled (In Excess {Ire}), the SW/GSP dam of Canadian champion Bear Now (Tiznow). Miss Bodine is responsible for a yearling colt by Mucho Macho Man and foaled a filly by Central Banker Mar. 9.