Bear’s Den Victory for Grand Mo The First

Uncle Mo’s Grade I Florida Derby third place finisher Grand Mo The First (3c Uncle Mo x Lilies So Fair, by Giant’s Causeway) made his first start since running in the Grade I Kentucky Derby a winning one in the Bear’s Den Stakes.

The colt was bumped coming out of the gate in the one-mile turf race and settled well off the pace while the leading three battled it out for much of the race. Grand Mo The First advanced his position around the far turn and split rivals to have a clear run at the win going into the stretch.

It was soon after that he took command and dug deep near the line to repel another runner and win by a neck for his third career victory.

Trained by Victor Barboza for Granpollo Stable, the colt has finished in the top three in all but one of his starts – including five stakes – with that only off-the-board finish coming in the Kentucky Derby.

He was bred by John Gunther out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Lilies So Fair, who also produced the stakes placed Palladium. Out of Wildwood Flower, Lilies So Fair is a half-sister to Grade I winner Materiality and Grade II winner and multiple Grade I placed My Miss Sophia.

My Miss Sophia produced Grade I winner Annapolis while another half-sister produced Grade I winner Leslie’s Rose.

Other Grade I winners on Grand Mo The First’s page include Afleet Express, Embellish The Lace, and Snow Ridge.

Lillies So Fair has an American Pharoah juvenile filly to come.

This is the fourth stakes winner for Uncle Mo since June 28 with that group including Grade I winner Kingsbarns.