Uncle Mo To Ashford Stud

After running 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Grade 1 on Saturday a decision was made to send the Indian Charlie colt to Ashford Stud in Kentucky for next year. He was retired after blood tests revealed that the gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) enzyme was elevated. During the spring, the enzyme problem led to cholangiohepatitis, a liver disease, and caused Uncle Mo to miss the Triple Crown. Uncle Mo currently is not suffering from the disease, but Repole – his owner – says it could be brought on from the stress of running and racing. Uncle Mo was last year’s champion 2-year-old colt – he was scratched out of this year’s Kentucky Derby due to a liver ailment.

Uncle Mo created an immediate sensation when he won by 14 1/4 lengths at Saratoga at 2 in his first start while recording a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. Skipping the traditional non-winners of one other than, Uncle Mo contested the Champagne Stakes Grade 1 at Belmont Park and won by 4 3/4 lengths in a spectacular 1:34.51 for the mile. He clinched the divisional championship with a 4 1/4-length score in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Grade 1 in his seasonal finale.

He began his 3-year-old season with a victory in the Timely Writer Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March. He ran third in the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial Stakes Grade 1 in April. After missing the Triple Crown, he returned to Saratoga to run second, beaten a nose, in the Foxwoods King’s Bishop Stakes Grade 1 and then captured the Kelso Handicap Grade 2 at Belmont. In the Classic, Uncle Mo raced in second before weakening in the stretch.

During his career Uncle Mo won five of eight starts and earned $1,606,000. He was trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden in all his races by John Velazquez. Uncle Mo is out of stakes-placed Arch/Dixieland Band mare Playa Maya.

Story source www.bloodhorse.com