Worth remembering this oddity (for the conspiracy folks): Nov 2010 - Uncle Mo to get a month on the farm
Why would you ship him to Ocala? Was he actually injured post-Breeders’ Cup and thus that’s why his first return in 2011 was so late and in a dog-and-pony exhibition race?
Early comments from Todd (in regards to the Onion-Sham-Secretariat Wood outcome) indicate Uncle Mo “grabbed a quarter at the start of the race” but that it’s “not an excuse”.
More on Uncle Mo from his connections:
Courier-Journal 4-9-11 “He’s not Slew but Mo’s finish was not all that bad”
Todd Pletcher, trainer of third-place finisher and beaten favorite Uncle Mo (No. 5): "I can’t make much excuse. Johnny said he wasn’t as relaxed as he would have liked him to be, although the fractions were fair. Obviously he got a little late the last part. I can’t say I’m shocked but I’m disappointed.
“He grabbed a quarter [left front] leaving the gate. It didn’t help but I’m not using that as an excuse. After that, he was kind of hounded early on. The fractions were reasonable. It was his first time going a mile and an eighth, first time over the Aqueduct surface. I was a little concerned turning for home at the three-sixteenths pole when he didn’t really kick clear. I thought then that we were going to be in for a fight. You could see the last fifty to sixty yards he was tired.”
Mike Repole, owner of third-place finisher and beaten favorite Uncle Mo (No. 5): “It’s horse racing. I’m as depressed now as I am after [losing] a $25,000 claimer. That’s why you have to run the races, whether you are 1-9 or 9-1, or whatever the winner was. I have total faith in Johnny and total faith in Todd, and the horse didn’t fire today. In 1973 Secretariat came in third in the Wood, and he won the Triple Crown. I saw “Secretariat” last night; it was probably a stupid idea. Maybe he has an abscess on his tooth. I’m going to check it later.”
7 minutes to post with the Santa Anita Derby … I still think Anthony’s Cross will pull the upset. Bred at Derry Meeting Farm and Augustin Stable/George Strawbridge and sold at Saratoga September sale in 2009 for $300,000. He’s owned by Arianne de Kwiatkowski - daughter of Henryk who purchased Calumet Farm.
I was quite wrong about Anthony’s Cross who was nowhere to be found in the driving finish.
Midnight Interlude - Bob Baffert trainee, Victor Espinoza - takes the $1M Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby by a neck over Comma To the Top.
So another Bob Baffert horse going to the Kentucky Derby. ‘Comma’ as noted before was/is not pointed to the Kentucky Derby as the connections view 1 1/4 mi just too far. At 1 1/8 miles for the SAD it looked like Comma was near the end of his effort.
Thought Comma was very very game despite being maxed out, I thought he seemed fairly relaxed throughout.
Midnight Interlude is a BIG BOY! :eek:
Mo’s fitness/development is the big question IM(exceedingly)HO.
Interesting that the article about jaycito’s foot comes out on April 8th, when Baffert says he’s been battling the injury since March 22.
Might I remind that Futres Pool #3 of the Ky derby was from April 1-3. Think we coulda known more about it then?
Because not sure anyone would put a huge futures wager on a horse this close to the derby with a sore foot.
(Same thing happened w/Gourmet dinner…whisked off to a farm in FL, and nobody notified anyone before, or even after Pool #2 of the futures bet, which of course, he was in. And took plenty of $$$ too).
FWIW, I kinda liked Benchpoints. 
As for Uncle Mo…he shipped from south to NY climate this time of year, couldn’t be good. No idea why they did that. But Besides, he didn’t have to win. Betcha the instructions to the jock was “don’t use him up … if you get pressure or flak”. I know that would be MY instructions.
Because, Mo wasn’t racing FOR anything. He’s got enough earnings.tthis was a paid workout…he needed a race. I never even thought of putting him first.?
Not a surprise - Connections of Comma To the Top rethinking the skipping the KY Derby
“The way he ran and after Uncle Mo’s loss and everything else, I think we may need to re-evaluate and keep our options open,” Miller said. “I’ll discuss it with the owners."
As noted by the DRF the other day no winner of the Santa Anita Derby has then gone on to win the KY Derby in 22-years. Ice cold.
How many SAD runners from this year’s field may go to the Kentucky Derby? Shockingly at the moment Midnight Interlude and Comma to the Top may be the only runners from the Santa Anita Derby in the Kentucky Derby. Ouch.
Uncle Mo is having blood tests to see if everything is “ok”
Who knows maybe he’ll not only be as overhyped as Old Fashioned was a couple years ago (#1 on everyone’s Derby list until he raced at 3) but possibly not even making the big dance. For now he is going to the Kentucky Derby …
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5537258]
Early comments from Todd (in regards to the Onion-Sham-Secretariat Wood outcome) indicate Uncle Mo “grabbed a quarter at the start of the race” but that it’s “not an excuse”.[/QUOTE]
Image from DRF/Barbara Livingston - Uncle Mo’s bloody hoof
In a press release issued Sunday afternoon, trainer Todd Pletcher said Uncle Mo was sound Sunday morning and added that the portion of the left front foot that Uncle Mo took off leaving the starting gate was “very minor and insignificant.”
I will say that Mike Repole’s comments post-race were very mature and level headed. He could’ve refused any comment after hosting 120-friends/family at the track only to see his horse humbled.
I was impressed with both Midnight Interlude and Comma. I noticed in the stretch that Midnight had to go wide, then had to be checked and swerve out to get aorund and he kept running. He may need that attitude in the Derby crush.
Of course, I really want Norman Absjornsen to win just to hear his name called!
The Arkansas Derby is shaping up like it will be a great race. Can’t wait to be there Saturday. :)
As noted before despite the very impressive effort by Maclean’s Music at Santa Anita - he is not being pointed to the Kentucky Derby, but will have up next the Grade 3 $200k The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial at Churchill Downs - under the lights Saturday, April 30th.
Interestingly he is not nominated for the TC. Zero chance to make the KY Derby. However even to run in the Preakness, for example, Jess Jackson would have to do a supplemental nominations. The cost would be 10% of the $1 million guaranteed purse.
[QUOTE=dressagetraks;5542093]
The Arkansas Derby is shaping up like it will be a great race.[/QUOTE]
Should be a large field. Entries anticipated are Alternation, Archarcharch, Brethren (sporting blinkers 1st time), Caleb’s Posse, Dance City, Elite Alex (with blinkers), J P’s Gusto (with blinkers), Nehro, Saratoga Red, Sway Away, The Factor and Truman’s Commander.
Maybe possible: Astrology and J W Blue, although Astrology (Jess Jackson/George Bolton) is reportedly aiming for the Preakness now instead of the Derby.
Another off the Derby trail, although never really on it
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5537186]
Video: $1M Wood Memorial 4-9-11 Grade 1
1 - Toby’s Corner (interesting a son of 2005 Wood winner Bellamy Road)
2 - Arthur’s Tale
3 - Uncle Mo
How dubious is it for Uncle Mo? Try the simple fact that Arthur’s Tale is coming off a first-level allowance win 18 days earlier. Ouch.[/QUOTE]
That was a short lived cycle for his connections to think they were Derby bound with their $750,000 purchase (as a yearling) - Apr 13 BloodHorse “Arthur’s Tale to Miss Derby with Injury”
“He popped a splint in his left front leg,” Albertrani said. “We’ll cool it out and point for the Belmont (gr. I). We noticed the day after the race the leg was sensitive. It’s just one of those things. One day he runs the race of his life and looks like a Derby horse who’s going to love the mile and a quarter and is going in the right direction, and the next day he’s out of it. It’s just bad timing.”
While there are new horses to appear on the Derby horizon by way of the Arkansas Derby and Blue Grass Derby (those in particular because of the considerable graded money implications) … Mike Battaglia has already been asked to take a stab at determining the Morning Line odds for those anticipated.
Battaglia’s complete early line is limited to horses in the top 20 on the graded earnings list, which determines the Derby field if more than 20 horses enter. The full list:
The Factor (7-2); Dialed In (4-1); Uncle Mo (4-1); Soldat (10-1); Toby’s Corner (10-1); Midnight Interlude (12-1); Mucho Macho Man (12-1); Animal Kingdom (15-1); Pants On Fire (15-1); Santiva (20-1); Shackleford (20-1); Comma to the Top (30-1); Jaycito (30-1); Stay Thirsty (30-1); Astrology (50-1); Decisive Moment (50-1); J P’s Gusto (50-1); Master of Hounds (50-1); Twice the Appeal (50-1); and Watch Me Go (50-1).
This was determined following Uncle Mo’s show-finish in the Wood. I’d be very, very happy to take Master of Hounds at 50-1
Field selected for the 75th running of the Grade 1 $1 million Arkansas Derby. HRTV will have this live. Distance 1 1/8 miles
PP. HORSE, Trainer, Jockey, ML Odds & Equipment
Like the Arkansas Derby the Blue Grass Stakes, also on Saturday April 16, is a rather full field.
The Blue Grass will air live on TVG, with live streaming available on the keeneland.com site and DRF.com
87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
Post time is 5:45 p.m. EST
Distance: 1 1/8 miles on polytrack
Weight: 123-lbs for all
PP. HORSE. Jockey/Trainer, ML Odds
Master of Hounds at 50-1? Seriously, I’m with you on that one Glimmer. 1-2 with Dialed In, that would be sweet.
Outsider’s question about the horse who flipped in the gate and was scratched last time out. I see he’s in the Arkansas Derby field. Is there an official procedure after something like that? Do they have to go to remedial gate school or such? I know QR freaked out before Zenyatta’s BC Classic, but his people had all winter to work with him slowly. Just wondered if an episode like that usually “sticks” with a horse mentally for a little while, and if the track has any special requirements before re-entering them.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5537258]
Worth remembering this oddity (for the conspiracy folks): Nov 2010 - Uncle Mo to get a month on the farm
Why would you ship him to Ocala? Was he actually injured post-Breeders’ Cup and thus that’s why his first return in 2011 was so late and in a dog-and-pony exhibition race?[/QUOTE]
Related to this and his performance in the Wood: 4-14-11 Paulick Report - Statement from Pletcher/Repole - Uncle Mo has a GI Track Infection"
The statement … did not address a question from the Paulick Report through Pletcher and Repole’s publicist concerning recent speculation about whether Uncle Mo may have had surgery to remove a bone chip following his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile win in November. The Paulick Report has heard from several sources — none of which have a direct connection to the colt — that surgery was performed, but neither Pletcher nor Repole has responded to questions confirming or denying the surgery.
So there you go.
I didn’t mention this past Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore - won by J.J.'s Lucky Train in a nice drive - as it adds too little loot to make this much of a Derby vaulting factor.
Just before the start one horse did almost flipover then went through the gate. The horse was reloaded and started thanks to one of the most impressive gate tackle efforts by a starter I’ve seen. The other was Seattle Slew in the 1978 JCGC as seen in that clip.
I’m glad to see that NYRA did an article on it and here is the video
NYRA’s “Outside Man” Makes Incredible Save in Bay Shore
Miguel Ramirez, who has been an assistant starter with NYRA for seven years, was equally astonished.
“I’ve never had a horse break through like that,” said Ramirez, who grew up in the Dominican Republic and started working with horses at age 11. “When he was moving forward, I started yelling ‘no no no’ to let Roy know he wasn’t comfortable, and right at that moment he reared up and then broke through the gate. It happened so quickly that I didn’t even really know what was going on, I acted purely on instinct.”
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