Donegal Racing and Repole Stable's Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo–Callingmissbrown, by Pulpit), last seen validating favoritism with a three-length victory in the GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets June 11, has been retired from racing and will enter stud for the 2023 breeding season at Spendthrift Farm. He will command a fee of $20,000, stands and nurses terms.
Bred in Kentucky by the Lyster family's Ashview Stud in partnership with Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables–also the breeders of Belmont S. runner-up and leading 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin)–Mo Donegal was purchased by Jerry Crawford's operation for $250,000 from the Ashview consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September sale and was turned over to trainer Todd Pletcher, for whom he won two of three starts as a juvenile, including a gritty defeat of future GI Toyota Blue Grass S. hero Zandon (Upstart) in a thrilling renewal of the GII Remsen S. last December.
A slow-starting, even third in the GIII Holy Bull S. on seasonal reappearance this past February, Mo Donegal bounced back with a battling tally in the GII Wood Memorial, accounting for next-out GI Preakness S. victor Early Voting (Gun Runner). It was announced by Donegal eight days prior to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby that Mike Repole had acquired a minority interest in the colt, who, sent off at just over 10-1 for the Run for the Roses, lagged well behind after breaking from the rail, was 10 wide into the lane and got home well to finish fifth, beaten just under four lengths. The 5-2 choice for the Belmont, Mo Donegal sat handier to the pace and finished up full of run to score by three lengths. In early July, Donegal reported that Mo Donegal was suffering from bone bruising and would miss 60 days. He retires to the breeding shed with a record of 4-0-2 from seven starts and earnings of $1,511,800.
“The Donegal Racing partners and I could not be more proud of Mo Donegal and the special places he took us the last two seasons,” said Crawford. “The timing of the bone bruising was unfortunate and not going to allow us to make any of our target races for the remainder of the year. We felt the best decision was to retire him, and we are excited that he'll get a wonderful opportunity to make a great stallion at a place like Spendthrift.”
Mo Donegal is one of three winners from three to the races for his dam, whose 2-year-old Pletcher-trained daughter Prank (Into Mischief), a $500,000 KEESEP purchase, was named a 'TDN Rising Star' with a powerful 9 3/4-length debut win at Saratoga July 31. Callingmissbrown is a daughter of 2004 GI Acorn S. heroine Island Sand (Tabasco Cat), herself the dam of dual Grade I-placed juvenile Maya Malibu (Malibu Moon), while the deeper female family includes Queen's Plate winner Niigon (Unbridled). Callingmissbrown is back in foal to Uncle Mo.
“It's always exciting when you can acquire a stallion prospect of the caliber of Mo Donegal, and we are thankful to Jerry Crawford, Mike Repole and the Donegal Racing partners for the opportunity,” said Ned Toffey, general manger of Spendthrift where the Repole part-owned GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso (Curlin) also stands. “It's not often you can offer breeders a Classic winner by an emerging sire of sires, which Uncle Mo appears to be. On top of that, Mo Donegal is very good-looking, comes from a brilliant and active family, was a 2-year-old graded stakes winner and defeated some of the best from a pretty good crop of 3-year-olds this year. We expect him to be extremely popular, and we invite breeders to come out and see him.”
Added Pletcher: “The Classic winners that come through our program will always be special to me, and Mo Donegal showed in his Belmont Stakes win what we have always thought of him,” said Pletcher. “We went into the (Kentucky) Derby this year with a lot of confidence, but the one hole was just too much to overcome. Obviously, having trained Uncle Mo, it was nice for us to be able to campaign one of his best sons. Mo Donegal showed immense talent from the first time we breezed him at two, and he's always been a very classy, good-minded, good-looking colt. I'd have to imagine breeders will love him.”
WATCH: Mo Donegal wins the GI Belmont S.
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