Golden Pal

The quick-maturing Golden Pal proved virtually unbeatable in his home country, recording eight straight victories at the ages of two, three and four. In establishing himself as arguably America’s finest turf sprinter, the explosive son of Uncle Mo wired the field in both the Gr.2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland and the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. The dual Breeders’ Cup winner also landed the Gr.3 Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga, two editions of the Gr.2 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland, the Gr.2 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland and the Gr.3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga.

Golden Pal’s dam Lady Shipman won 13 times and set a course record of 1:00.46 for Saratoga’s 5½-furlong turf course. Golden Pal’s broodmare sire Midshipman won the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, as did his sire Uncle Mo, so Golden Pal looks certain to pass on his speed and precocity.

Golden Pal shares the same sire, Uncle Mo, as Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork, all of them Gr.1 sires with their early crops. Although Golden Pal and his dam Lady Shipman excelled on turf, there are numerous top-class dirt performers in his pedigree, with all four of his grandparents having won on the main track.

Golden Pal should do well with mares by all the successful stallions from the A.P. Indy-Mr Prospector cross, such as PULPIT, MINESHAFT, FLATTER and CONGRATS. Daughters of TAPIT are worth considering as Uncle Mo sired Gr.2 winner Kingsbarns from one. Uncle Mo’s Gr.1 winners such as Yaupon, Mo Donegal, Arabian Knight and Mo Town all have dams by sons of A.P. INDY. BERNARDINI mares are responsible for Gr.2 winners Mopotism and Modernist. Uncle Mo has Gr.2 and Gr.3 winners out of mares by A.P. INDY’s sons MALIBU MOON and MINESHAFT. Uncle Mo’s son Nyquist owes two of his Gr.1 winners to grand-daughters of A.P. Indy, by BERNARDINI and MINESHAFT. Outwork, another son of Uncle Mo, owes his 2023 2yo Gr.1 winner Brightwork to a MALIBU MOON mare. A third son, Laoban, sired a Gr.2 winner from an A.P. INDY mare.

Uncle Mo thrives with mares from the MR PROSPECTOR line and there is no reason why Golden Pal shouldn’t follow suit. The GONE WEST branch provided Uncle Mo with Gr.1 winner Gomo and Graded winners Laoban and Souper Hoity Toity. Uncle Mo’s son Nyquist owes his Gr.1 winner Slow Down Andy to a grand-daughter of SMART STRIKE. Mo Town, another of Uncle Mo’s sons, sired a Gr.3 winner from a SMART STRIKE mare and a Listed winner from a CURLIN mare. Another of Nyquist’s Gr.1 winners, Randomized, has a dam by ELUSIVE QUALITY.

UNBRIDLED is the broodmare sire of Gr.1 winner Unbridled Mo, while his sons EMPIRE MAKER, UNBRIDLED’S SONG and UNTUTTABLE all rank among the broodmare sires of Uncle Mo’s Graded winners. Gr.1 winner Outwork has an EMPIRE MAKER dam, while 2023 Gr.1 winner A Mo Reay has a dam by PIONEEROF THE NILE.

Uncle Mo quickly proved himself with the STORM CAT line, siring the top-class Nyquist and Gr.3 winner Auntie Joy from daughters of FORESTRY (also sire of the 2nd dam of Gr.1 winner Arabian Knight). STORM CAT, GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, BLUEGRASS CAT and TALE OF THE CAT are all among the broodmare sires of Uncle Mo’s Graded winners. There are also Graded winners out of mares by three sons of GIANT’S CAUSEWAY, namely GIANT GIZMO, SHAMARDAL and ESKENDEREYA.

In view of Golden Pal’s success on turf, the SADLER’S WELLS line is another likeable option. Uncle Mo has Gr.1 and Gr.2 winners from mares by DIXIELAND BAND, by NUREYEV’s son UNUSUAL HEAT and by DANZIG’s son WAR FRONT.

Uncle Mo’s son Laoban sired Gr.1 winner Simply Ravishing from a MORE THAN READY mare.

Uncle Mo has Stakes winners with mares by DEPUTY MINISTER, FRENCH DEPUTY and DEFRERE.