Champion Uncle Mo’s first starter is a winner

Uncle Mo appears to have passed on his precocious juvenile genes to his offspring (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) Eclipse Award winner Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) saw his first starter as a sire become his first winner on Thursday when Outwork captured the 5TH race at Keeneland in drawing off fashion. The Repole Stable homebred sped to the early lead under jockey John Velazquez in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint, set all the pace through splits of :22 1/5 and 46, and stopped the clock in :52 3/5 over the fast main track while 2 1/4 lengths clear of Finnegan (Unbridled’s Song), a half-brother to Grade 1-winning dual classic-placed Bodemeister (Empire Maker) who was also making his career debut in this spot. The Todd Pletcher-trained Outwork was sent off the 3-5 favorite and returned $3.20 for the win. The Kentucky-bred bay juvenile — who was born March 8, 2013 — is out of Grade 1-placed Nonna Mia (Empire Maker), who is a half-sister to Grade 2 victor Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile). Uncle Mo captured his initial four starts for Pletcher and Mike Repole, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Champagne S. (G1) to be named the champion juvenile of 2010. He suffered his first loss when third in the Wood Memorial S. (G1) as a sophomore and was eventually diagnosed with a gastrointestinal infection.

The bay was treated with antibiotics and proceeded to Churchill Downs for the
Kentucky Derby (G1). When he came off his medication for Derby week, however,
Uncle Mo went backwards. He was losing weight, his coat was off, and he didn’t
impress observers with his appearance. Speculation swirled that the colt would
be scratched, and the announcement came on Kentucky Oaks Day.

Uncle Mo was sent to WinStar Farm near Versailles, Kentucky, to convalesce.
He underwent extensive tests to try to pinpoint the problem, and finally, a
biopsy of his liver and lymph nodes yielded a diagnosis in early June.
Internists Dr. Bill Bernard, Dr. Doug Byars and Dr. Tom Divers detected
cholangiohepatitis, a severe inflammation of the bile passages and liver.

Once Uncle Mo began to gain weight and, with his blood picture back to
normal, he resumed galloping at WinStar. He returned in late August to just miss
by a nose in the King’s Bishop S. (G1) at Saratoga before going on to record a
three-length score in the Kelso H. (G2) at Belmont Park. The Kentucky-bred
continued his remarkable recovery all the way up to the 2011 Breeders’ Cup
Classic (G1), but faded to 10th in that contest.

It was soon revealed that Uncle Mo was once again showing a higher elevation
of the same enzyme — gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) — that ultimately
preceded the diagnosis of cholangiohepatitis in the spring. Repole had
previously inked a deal for the colt to stand at Coolmore’s North American arm,
Ashford Stud, near Versailles, Kentucky, and the retirement announcement came
just a few days after the Classic.

Uncle Mo took up stud duty at Ashford, where he currently stands for a
$25,000 live foal, stands and nurses, fee.

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