Uncle Mo shoots a bullet at Belmont Park ahead of the Kelso Handicap
The 2010 juvenile champion is slowly but surely getting back into his own, finding his stride as he shot a bullet under the watchful eyes of owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher over Belmont Park’s training track on 25 September.
The now, 3-year-old colt, Uncle Mo, blazed four furlongs in a bullet 46.57 seconds for his next start in the one mile Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on 2 October, 2011.
As usual, Uncle Mo was not alone, as he had Todd Pletcher’s start working ahead of their engagement’s in the Belmont Park’s “Super Saturday” program, and the most prominent one was the Mike Repole owned Grade 1 Travers Stakes' winner, Stay Thirsty.
Uncle Mo’s run was the fastest of 79 workouts at the same distance of 4 furlongs. The Indian Charlie colt was infected with a rare liver disease and it took him 4 months to fully recover and get back to the races.
In his comeback race, the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga, Uncle Mo was inches away from an emphatic comeback race win, but cruelly got nosed out by Caleb’s Posse to finish second, which is still not bad for a comeback race.
However, big things are expected of the colt, and the expectations are getting even higher, as the colt zipped through a seemingly effortless half a mile under his jockey, John Velazquez.
It is straight up an indication of how well the colt is doing and his connections wouldn’t be expecting a high paced workout from him at this stage.
Todd Pletcher admitted that they were looking for a final workout breeze, which would touch around 48 and 49, but the colt is doing so well that he kept going, increasing his pace at all times.
It is definitely a good sign for Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher, as they can devise a strategy for Uncle Mo in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap, based on the work he turned in.
Uncle Mo is getting back to his own mean ways, where he pushes the limit and peeks at an unexpected point, and that is good news going into the Kelso Handicap.
Tags: