Uncle Mo to stand at Ashford

A partnership deal has been agreed between Mike Repole of Repole Stable and Coolmore’s Ashford Stud whereby the 2010 unbeaten champion juvenile Uncle Mo will stand at Ashford following his retirement from racing. “We’ll see what happens in the Classic and then Todd and I will sit down with the Coolmore team and we’ll decide where to go from there,” said Repole, keeping open the possibility that Uncle Mo may continue to race in 2012.

A strong winter favourite for the Kentucky Derby, Uncle Mo missed the entire Triple Crown owing to a case of cholangiohepatitis – a severe inflammation of the bile passages and adjacent liver. Returning after a near five-month layoff, the son of Indian Charlie was just nosed out by Caleb’s Posse in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes but was back to his brilliant best when winning the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont last Saturday setting him up nicely for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This dazzling display saw him record a Beyer Figure of 118, the highest of any three-year-old this year and bettered only by the five-year-old sprinter Big Drama.

“Todd Pletcher said he’s never had a horse as good as Uncle Mo, so that’s good enough for me,” commented Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan. “He’s also a magnificent-looking horse by a very good sire, so we’re really looking forward to having him when the time comes for him to retire,” he added.