By Alan Carasso
There were ostensibly no moons hitting eyes like big pizza pies on a dreary Saturday at Santa Anita, but the 4-year-old filly who was up in the final jump to take the GI Beholder Mile S.?–that's A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).
A $400,000 purchase by Adrian Regan and Fergus Galvin's Hunter Valley Farm out of last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale, the dark bay swerved a clash with returning Grade I winners Secret Oath (Arrogate) and Clairiere (Curlin) in the GII Azeri S. in favor of a second career appearance at the top level, and the decision paid off handsomely, as she chinned odds-on Fun to Dream (Arrogate) right on the line for her biggest conquest to date.
Off at 79-10, A Mo Reay raced outside of Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist) rounding the first turn and had tugged her way up into a three-wide third as Ganadora (Quality Road) set the pace from a well-held Fun to Dream down the backstretch.
Fun to Dream was allowed to stride into the lead fully three furlongs from the line and drifted out into the lane while maintaining a clear lead. The odds-on chalk boxed on gamely nearer the inside, but A Mo Reay refused to lie down and was shoved across the line first by Flavien Prat to cause the upset.
“She really dug in when it was time to run, and she was travelling well all around,” the Frenchman said. “I watched her previous race and I talked to [trainer] Brad [Cox who watched the race from Oaklawn Park] and he was really high on her and really wanted her in this race. He was right.”
A Mo Reay made the first nine starts of her career for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, finishing third to eventual champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the 2021 GI Frizette S. as a maiden before graduating in the last of four juvenile starts that December. A Laurel allowance winner last June, she was third in the Riskaverse S. over the Saratoga turf course and fifth in the grassy GIII Pebbles S. before changing hands at FTKNOV. A Mo Reay took an off-turf renewal of the Dec. 31 Pago Hop S. at the Fair Grounds before wearing down Lovely Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Bayakoa last time.
Pedigree Notes:
A Mo Reay is the 12th top-level scorer for Uncle Mo, four of which were produced by Unbridled-line mares (Golden Pal, Unbridled Mo and Outwork). Other graded scorers by Uncle Mo from the same line include Grade III winners Uncle Vinny, Uncle Chuck and Girl Daddy.
Margaret Reay, a longshot second to Lady Eli (Divine Park) in the 2014 GIII Miss Grillo S. for Zayat Stables, was purchased by T & G Farm of Kentucky for $180,000 in foal to California Chrome at the 2018 Keeneland January Sale and is also the dam of the 3-year-old colt Upgrade (Flatter)–a $550,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Mike Repole and St. Elias–and a yearling filly by Gun Runner. She was most recently covered by Quality Road.
Saturday, Santa Anita
BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $501,500, Santa Anita, 3-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.25, gd.
1–A MO REAY, 122, f, 4, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Margaret Reay (GSP, $133,455), by Pioneerof the Nile
2nd Dam: Legendary Stacey, by Include
3rd Dam: Ruth Ann d'Or, by Tour d'Or
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($400,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $400,000 3yo '22
FTKNOV). O-Hunter Valley Farm; B-T & G Farm of Kentucky LLC
(KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $300,000. Lifetime Record:
12-5-1-3, $692,650. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fun to Dream, 120, f, 4, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Lutess, by Maria's Mon
2nd Dam: Alchema, by Menifee
3rd Dam: Madeira M'dear, by Black Tie Affair (Ire)
O-Natalie J. Baffert and Connie Pageler; B-Connie Pageler &
Bob Baffert (CA); T-Bob Baffert. $100,000.
3–Midnight Memories, 122, f, 4, by Mastery
1st Dam: Tiz Midnight (GSW & GISP, $339,800), by Midnight Lute
2nd Dam: Tough Tiz's Sis, by Tiznow
3rd Dam: Leaseholder, by Taylor's Falls
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Michael E. Pegram, Paul Weitman &
Karl Watson (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
Margins: HD, 2 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 7.90, 0.90, 8.40.
Also Ran: Desert Dawn, Kirstenbosch, Awake At Midnyte, Pauline's Pearl, Ganadora.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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