Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty might be running to claim the Breeders’ Cup Classic’s winner’s share, if they win their immediate starts
If all goes well with Uncle Mo and stable mate Stay Thirsty in their next assignments, the Mike Repole owned and Todd Pletcher trained runners path’s might cross in the Grade 1 $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on 5 November this year.
By virtue of back to back victories, first in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and then the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, Stay Thirsty has certainly done enough to walk out of the shadow of his juvenile champion of a stable mate, Uncle Mo.
The three-year-old colt, Stay Thirsty has done enough in recent months to climb on top of the pile and lead the three-year-old division, and now both stable mate’s are pointed to the Super Saturday card at Belmont Park.
Stay Thirsty will take on rivals in the heavily pursed Grade 1 $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Uncle Mo will try to get in the conversation when he takes on the grade 1 winners Jackson Bend and Jersey Town in the Grade 2 $200,000 Kelso Handicap, both
run on 1 October.
Many would agree that Uncle Mo is the best horse Mike Repole has in his wings, but based on accomplishments this year, Stay Thirsty takes the cake by a country mile, and Uncle Mo being away from the action didn’t help as well.
His rare liver disease kept him sidelined for a good four months, but he has shown promise in his comeback race and if it wasn’t for Caleb’s Posse’s last minute turn of foot, Uncle Mo would be enjoying a successful comeback.
However, despite the loss, he looked sharp even after a long layoff, and he might do well here at Belmont Park, because he simply loves the track and that is where he won the Champagne Stakes last year.
According to trainer Todd Pletcher, both horses have thrived since their 27 August races. Uncle Mo will slightly have a difficult task, because he will face horses in solid form, but it’s nothing he can’t handle.
Stay Thirsty will have it a little easy, because of the defection of the top horse Tizway, but his toughest challenger in Gold Cup now seems to be Flat Out.
Tags: