Pneumatic 60th Stakes Winner for Uncle Mo
Pneumatic (3c Uncle Mo x Teardrop, by Tapit) was the second TVG.com Pegasus Stakes winner in two years for Uncle Mo and gave his sire a 60th stakes winner on Saturday with a dominant win at Monmouth Park.
Racing over 1 1/16 miles, Pneumatic broke well and raced a few paths wide into the first turn in midpack. With star Monmouth Park rider Joe Bravo aboard, Pneumatic was in third by the time they reach the backstretch and content to continue his run a few paths off the rail.
Taking over the second position going into the turn, Pneumatic easily passed the leader as they passed the quarter pole. Already having a few lengths on the field entering the stretch, Bravo gave the colt an easy ride to win by 2¼ lengths at the line with only second placed Jesus’ Team within five lengths of the winner.
"I talked to Steve and his assistant Scott Blasi this morning, and they were really excited about the horse. But you never really know until you sit on them," Bravo told Blood-Horse. "He was just in full control the whole time. A very relaxed animal—he was going very smoothly."
It was the fifth start for Pneumatic, who won his first two starts for breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds and trainer Steve Asmussen. The colt proved to be up to stakes quality with a close third to Maxfield and Ny Traffic in the Grade III Matt Winn Stakes before finishing fourth in the GI Belmont Stakes.
The colt now has enough points to qualify for the Grade I Kentucky Derby, currently sitting 11th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Pneumatic is the first foal for stakes placed Teardrop, who is a three-quarter sister to Grade I winner Pyro and two other stakes horses. The colt hails from the extended family of Grade I winners Olympio, Tapizar, Paddy O’Prado and Lauda Sion along with champion Untapable.
Pneumatic is the third stakes winner in the last seven days for Uncle Mo, who is having another spectacular year with 151 winners, 11 stakes winners, and 26 stakes horses led by four Grade II winners.