Mo Forza (Uncle Mo) winning the Gr.2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita

Uncle Mo’s Mo Forza Wins Twilight Derby

A day after siring the second and third place finishers in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, brilliant young sire Uncle Mo went one better when Mo Forza (3c Uncle Mo x Inflamed, by Unusual Heat) took out the Grade II Qatar Twilight Derby at Santa Anita in his stakes debut.

Breaking evenly with the rest of the field, jockey Joel Rosario quickly positioned the Peter Miller-trainee just behind the leaders in a tightly packed field. Mo Forza proved to be eager to run in the 1 1/8 mile turf race and was quickly in second where Rosario convinced him to settle.

As the field entered the final quarter mile, Rosario finally let the colt have his way and Mo Forza drew even with the leader before pulling away to win nicely by 1 3/4 lengths.

Raced by breeder Bardy Farm and OG Boss, Mo Forza broke his maiden last out at Santa Anita by two lengths going a mile on the turf before his debut stakes victory here. He is the first foal out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed, who is a full sister to Grade II winner Burns and Grade I placed Brushburn. The mare had a colt by Coolmore America sire Munnings this year.

Mo Forza becomes the 52nd stakes winner and 27th graded stakes winner for his exceptional sire, whose first five crops include Grade I Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and this year’s two-time juvenile Grade I winner Bast.