Stakes Winner Lia Marina Leads Top Day For Uncle Mo

Wait A While Stakes winner Lia Marina (2f Uncle Mo x Lira, by Giant’s Causeway) headlined a three-juvenile winner day for Uncle Mo on Friday at Gulfstream Park.

The Moyglare Stud Farm homebred shadowed Gun Boat through the early stages of the one-mile turf race before starting to roll with three eighths of a mile to run. Gun Boat gave in when she was confronted but Lia Marina still had a challenge on her hands with Sister Lou Ann also vying for the lead.

That pair battled down the stretch with neither filly willing to back down but Lia Marina started to pull away nearing the wire to win by half a length at the line.

The Christophe Clement trainee has now won two of her three starts for over $106,000 in earnings.

Lia Marina was following in her dam Lira’s footsteps with Lira’s two stakes wins including the Wait a While. Lira is a half-sister to dual Grade I winner Avenge and Group III-placed Pistoletto.

Lira was bred to American Pharoah this year.

Uncle Mo also saw his Grade I-placed juvenile A Mo Reay win at Aqueduct and Mo Z break his maiden at Fair Grounds.

A Mo Reay is out of the Grade III-placed Margaret Reay from the family of Grade I winner Wonder Lady Anne L and the stakes winning Lezendary.

Mo Z is out of the Group I winning Irish Lights, who also produced Group II winner and Group I-placed Omei Sword and Uncle Mo’s stakes winner and Grade III-placed Lipizzaner.

Uncle Mo is the sire of 12 stakes winners and 28 stakes performers in 2021, led by a pair of Grade I winners.