Lucky Mo Impressive on Japanese Debut

Lucky Mo (2c Uncle Mo x Lucky To Be Me, by Bernstein) made an impressive debut when easily making a late run to break his maiden on Saturday at Kyoto in Japan.

Racing over seven furlongs on dirt, Lucky Mo raced midpack early on in the spread out field a few lengths behind the leader. Still not showing his best running, Lucky Mo looked like he may be out of luck as they turned into the stretch with multiple lengths to make up on the leader.

That luck took a turn for the better in the final furlong, however, as the debuter found another gear to cruise home a winner by three quarters of a length for Silk Racing Co.

Trained by Mikio Matsunaga, the Northern Racing-bred colt’s dam was bought by Katsumi Yoshida for $1.25 million while carrying this colt.

That mare is also the dam of U.S. Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Champagne Room with three winners from four to race. Lucky To Be Me is also a half-sister to two stakes horses and hails from the family of Grade I winner A.P. Valentine.

It has been a top year for Uncle Mo, who has sired 19 stakes winners and 13 graded stakes winners in 2020 with 67 career stakes winners led by eight Grade 1 winners and 38 group winners.