Uncle Mo travels to Churchill Downs and prepares for the Kentucky Derby – Horse Racing News
Race-horse Uncle Mo arrived at Churchill Downs on 18 April. The Todd Pletcher trained colt is currently preparing to take part in the 137th Kentucky Derby on 7 May with a purse of close to two-million-dollars.
Uncle Mo is the invincible Grey Goose Breeder’s Cup Juvenile winner and he also managed to sew up the Eclipse Award honours as Champion. He was earlier said to have a gastrointestinal infection and chances of his participation were thin. The colt was accompanied
by R Heat Lightning and was helped off the van by assistant trainer Michael McCarthy.
The colt is said to have galloped over the Churchill Downs surface on Tuesday, with Pletcher carefully monitoring him. This was his first work out since he arrived in Louisville and all eyes were on him. He had an exercise rider by the name of Hector Ramos,
who is also the rider for R Heat Lightning.
Uncle Mo started working out at 6:30 a.m. as the trainer said that this will be the colt’s typical race practice time to prepare for the mile and a quarter classic. The trainer Pletcher will work closely with the horse to ensure that he is fit and ready
for the race.
The trainer also said that Uncle Mo will be practicing twice at Churchill, and the timings for these works will be more or less in the mornings. The horse has recently experienced a surprise loss in the Wood Memorial grade one race which was held on 9 April.
Pletcher has saddled 28 Kentucky Derby starters. He picked up his first brilliant Derby victory with Super Saver. The WinStar Farm owned three year old completed the short path in stakes record time of 2:04.45. He had Jockey Calvin Borel aboard him at the
time.
R Heat Lightning scored a win for his saddler in the 2 April at the Gulfstream Oaks with an eight and a quarter length lead. R Heat Lightening is the likely favourite for the 6 May Kentucky Oaks race.
Uncle Mo will be joining the winner of Gotham Stay Thirsty, one of the contenders of the Kentucky Derby from Repole Stable. He finished fifth behind Uncle Mo in the Breeder’s Cup and got the seventh position in the million-dollar Florida Derby. He was ridden
by Jockey Ramon A. Dominguez at the time. Michael McCarthy says the reason for his disappointing performance in the Florida Derby is still unaccountable. Stay Thirsty is sired by the 2006 Preakness Stakes winner, Bernardini.
Stay Thirsty also practiced over the one mile oval. He turned in a strong workout on 17 April in his first effort over the track. He turned out to be the second fastest worker of the day.
Pletcher further voiced his opinion regarding the horse’s form, he said, “I think he’s in the same position that every horse in this race is in that they need to have a really good 19 days.” Pletcher also confirmed that Uncle Mo is being treated for an intestinal
infection. He is optimistic that the horse will train and improve to the same form that helped him capture the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile on 6 November, 2010.
The excitement is already starting to build for one of the biggest events in horse-racing, the Kentucky Derby.
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