Mo Forza Newest Grade I Winner For Uncle Mo

Mo Forza (3c Uncle Mo x Inflamed, by Unusual Heat) became his sire's eighth Grade I winner on Saturday when joining fellow Uncle Mo son Mo Town as a winner of the Grade I Hollywood Derby.

Making a splash on Breeders’ Cup weekend when winning the Grade II Twilight Derby at Santa Anita, Mo Forza was even more impressive in the 1 1/8 mile Grade I on the Del Mar turf. The colt was bumped when breaking from the gate but it didn’t phase him and he tucked in a spot on the rail a few lengths off the leader. Jockey Paco Lopez sat quietly on the Peter Miller trainee as the field entered the far turn and his mount moved up to join the leader.

Mo Forza was ready to run as soon as Lopez asked him in the stretch and took command of the race in the final furlong to win by an easy three quarter of a length. It was the third straight victory for Mo Forza, who is co-owned by OG Boss and breeder Bardy Farm. Mo Forza has finished on the board in seven of his eight starts for nearly $380,000 in earnings.

"I think it's just maturity," trainer Peter Miller told Blood-Horse about Mo Forza's success this autumn. "I'd like to say it was some genius trainer move, but I'd be lying. I've always been high on this horse. He's always shown a lot of ability but it has taken time for him to put it all together, but we knew he had it in him.”

Mo Forza is the first foal out of Inflamed, a full sister to Grade II winner Burns and Grade I-placed Brushburn. Hailing from the family of top broodmare Politely, Inflamed had a Munnings colt in 2019.

Champion Freshman sire Uncle Mo has proven to be a top-class sire with at least one Grade I winner in each of his first five crops. He stands next to his Grade I Hollywood Derby winning son Mo Town on the Coolmore America roster with Mo Town’s first foals arriving in 2020.