Uncle Mo pops up in Champagne Stakes
Todd Pletcher has been around long enough to know that good news and bad news are never that far away from each other.
In May he thought he had lost his chance of breaking his losing streak in the Kentucky Derby, when Eskendereya was ruled out by injury, only for Super Saver to win the big race. Pletcher strengthened his hand for the juvenile races in the Breeder’s Cup at Churchill Downs next month but also lost one of his other best horses for the foreseeable future.
Uncle Mo went into the Grade One Champagne Stakes regarded as something special having won his debut at Saratoga by over 14 lengths. He came out it the one that the rest will have to be rated against for the Juvenile. John Velazquez found himself disputing the lead with I’m Steppin’ It Up on the run to the turn and then Mountain Town tried to put it to Uncle Mo at the top of the home stretch.
It was a good try but never looked anywhere near enough as Uncle Mo came clear away by four-and-three-quarter lengths in a fast time. “He’s just such a talented horse,” Pletcher said. “He’s able to do things other horses can’t do.
“he sky’s the limit. I don’t see how a horse could start a career more impressively than he has. His maiden was as good as I’ve seen, and then to come back and run one-thirty-four and two-fifiths in the Champagne is unbelievable. His times have been exceptionally fast. He gets stronger as he goes along. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile would be the obvious goal.
Pletcher saddled for of the runners in the Grade One Frizette Stakes and R Heat Lightning, ridden by Velazquez was the market leader, having won the Grade One Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga last month, but was beaten by Bob Baffert’s AZ Warrior - ridden by Alan Garcia – who may well have been the beneficiary of the better trip.
R Heat Lightning had been slightly slowly away and was trapped in fifth on the rail as AZ Warrior took up the running from long-shot Coax Liberty to get first run from the turn. R Heat Lightning did not get a clear run until well into the stretch, despite looking full of running, and was cutting into the winner’s lead.
The Jamaica Handicap only made it to Grade One status last year and it was even newer territory for the field of 11, none of whom had previously won at elite level and it was Prince Will I Am – trained by Michelle Nihei and ridden by Jose Lezcano - who flashed home late to catch long-time leader Citrus Kid in the final 50 yards.
In the early months of the year, on dirt, Prince Will I Am was no match for the likes Eskendereya, the winner of the Wood Memorial Stakes, and Drosselmeyer, the Belmont Stakes winner, on the dirt but has come good on the grass.
Nihei is a former exercise rider for trainer Pletcher and the news for her former boss was not so good before racing. Devil May Care, the winner of last year’s Frizette and a dual Grade One winner this year, has been ruled out of the Ladies’ Classic at the Breeders’ Cup having been diagnosed with a non-contagious bout of hepatitis.
The scratching of Devil May Care, who had won both the Mother Goose Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks this season, would seem to leave the race at the mercy of Blind Luck despite her neck defeat by Havre de Grace in the Grade Two Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing last weekend.
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