Showcase Leads Uncle Mo Exacta In G2 Saratoga Special
Uncle Mo juveniles were in the spotlight at Saratoga on Saturday when Showcase (2c Uncle Mo x Buy Sell Hold, by Violence) led home an exacta for the stallion in the Grade II Saratoga Special.
Uncle Mo son First Resort was the horse to take over pacemaking duties when he went straight to the lead out of the gate in the 6 ½ furlong dirt race. Taking a spot on the rail, Showcase raced a few lengths behind First Resort, who was confronted going into the turn.
First Resort still had the lead going into the stretch and Showcase was right behind him, trying to find a hole to get by. That space opened in the final furlong and once he was clear, it just took a few taps of the whip to have the gray take the lead and pull away to a 3 ¼ length win.
“I just had to wait a little longer than what I wanted to in there inside of those horses. When the horses outside of me started to get tired I worked my way out and after that it was so easy for him, he was very professional. He broke good and after that he was very professional, he stayed inside of horses took some kickback and he overcame everything,” said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Harrell Ventures, the WinStar Farm-bred colt is undefeated in his two starts after earning Thoroughbred Daily News ‘Rising Star’ honors in his debut. A Grade I entry is likely next on his calendar, though Pletcher hasn’t yet targeted a specific race yet.
Purchased for $300,000 by Roy McAvoy from Machmer Hall’s Keeneland September consignment, the colt is the second stakes performer out of the stakes winning Buy Sell Hold. That mare produced multiple stakes placed runner and Grade I Hopeful fourth Bourbon Bash.
Buy Sell Hold is one of two stakes winners for her own dam alongside Grade I winner Volatile, with the duo out of a daughter of multiple Grade I winner Lady Tak.
This victory follows another big juvenile performance by an Uncle Mo runner last weekend when Italian Soiree was second in the Grade III Adirondack Stakes.