Stay Thirsty to be the top gun in Repole’s stable after Uncle Mo retired
Running a full sophomore season quiet successfully, Stay Thirsty has always played second fiddle to his stable mate Uncle Mo, who was the champion juvenile 2010 and after his injury stricken 2011 campaign, Uncle Mo, is now retired to give way to the next
best thing at Mike Repole’s stable, Stay Thirsty.
The 3-year-old Bernardini colt is out of mare Marozia by Storm Bird, Stay Thirsty is still going strong with three graded stakes win in 2011 out of eight starts altogether, and on the back of everything only big things are expected of him especially in the
coming season.
The Todd Pletcher trained Stay Thirsty has always had an impact in the big races he participated in, either he won them or finished a strong second or third, but one thing is for sure the colt hasn’t performed at Churchill Downs in both big races.
“One thing I can guarantee you about him is that he’ll never run at Churchill again, even if he races until he’s 10. He’s 0-for-3 there and just doesn’t like the track. Some horses like it; some don’t.” said Mike Repole.
Stay Thirsty at 2, kicked off his Churchill season in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile where he finished fifth to winner and stable mate Uncle Mo. Then he went for the biggest race of his 3-year-old career there to participate in the Grade 1 Kentucky
Derby and failed to fire as he finished a non threatening 12th.
It wasn’t over for Stay Thirst as he was pointed toward the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at the backend of the season, and like Repole said some like the track and some simply don’t.
There he finished a disappointing 11th to winner, Drosselmeyer, but races run on other tracks have been pretty fruitful for Stay Thirsty and his connections.
Apart for his maiden, Stay Thirsty won two major races at Saratoga, the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes followed by the all important Grade 1 Travers Stakes. At Aqueduct he won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and at Belmont he finished a close second in the Grade 1
Belmont Stakes and then a third place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
“He’ll get 60-90 days off and return to training with Todd (Pletcher) in mid-January or February," Repole said.
Stay Thirsty will get a well deserved vacation at J. J. Crupi’s New Castle Farm near Ocala, Fla after his eight races in his sophomore season
Tags: