Mo Forza Wins Again in Mathis Brothers Mile

Mo Forza (3c Uncle Mo x Inflamed, by Unusual Heat) followed up his Grade I win in last month’s Hollywood Derby on Saturday with a victory in the Grade II Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes.

A colt who has raced into his own this winter, Mo Forza went off as the 6/5 favorite in the one-mile turf race and didn’t let bettors down on Santa Anita’s opening day. He raced near the back of the pack under Joel Rosario, content to let others set the pace about 10 lengths in front of him. But when it proved to be too slow for the colt, he moved closer to the leaders when moving up the outside of the field down the backstretch.

The colt joined the battle for the lead in the turn and drew even with the leader in the stretch. It didn’t take long for the Peter Miller trainee to take control of the race and he made easy work of the race in the final furlong to win by 1 ¼ lengths over Zoffany’s Originaire.

“He always had the talent but he never really could put it all together I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet,” Miller told Santa Anita. “He is just starting to learn and once he relaxes a little bit better and doesn’t want to lay in when he passes that last horse I think the sky is the limit, he’s just a tremendous horse. “

“A great job by Joel for harnessing him because he is a lot of horse and great job to Barry who bred the horse to win the race for Barry it’s a thrill. I think the (Pegasus) is our first option, if everything is going well. With no Lasix the horse is never been a bleeder and so I don’t see any reason why the Pegasus wouldn’t be our next option.”

Bred by Bardy Farm, he is also co-owned by OG Boss and has finished in the top three in eight of his nine starts since his debut in June.

Mo Forza’s record includes joining Mo Town as a winner of the Grade I Hollywood Derby for their Champion sire Uncle Mo, who ends the year among the leading sires yet again in 2019.