Uncle Mo

When Indian Charlie died prematurely from cancer at the age of 16 in 2011, the loss was palpable. He had perennially been among the nation's leading sires, while his prowess as a broodmare sire had yet to fully emerge. He had several sons already at stud, but waiting in the wings was his top successor and one who would ultimately put him on the map as a sire of sires. At the time of Indian Charlie's death, Uncle Mo had just closed out his racing career and was preparing for...

Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (c, 2, Good Magic--Hoppa, by Uncle Mo), second as the heavy favorite after pressing a blistering pace in the GIII Best Pal S. Aug. 13, showed a new dimension by coming off the pace while making his two-turn debut in style in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) in second. Be You (Curlin) was third. Muth becomes a record-extending 12th American...

1st-BAQ, $90k, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 12:35p.m. ET Whisper Hill Farm has been enjoying a fruitful year on the track and in the sales ring, and SPEED RUNNER (Gun Runner) looks to add his tally to the operation's banner year. A half-brother to the brilliant GISW Brilliant Speed (Dynaformer); SW & GSP Souper Speedy (Indian Charlie); and SP Bank (Bernardini), the Pletcher-trained chestnut comes into the race with a bullet move Sept. 27 over Belmont's training track--a five furlong work in a co-fastest minute flat. His dam Speed Succeeds is a...

No matter whether it is April or October, if it's Keeneland, then you know a Wesley Ward 2-year-old who sets sail for a maiden voyage has a chance to sparkle. Royal Slipper (Uncle Mo) certainly did that on opening day Friday afternoon when the juvenile filly won impressively as a newly-minted 'TDN Rising Star'. Breaking along the fence, Royal Slipper shot to the lead and quickly opened up a distinct advantage up the backstretch. As fellow firster Loveland (Munnings) gave chase into the far turn, the Ward trainee continued to...

To see Adare Manor (f, 4, Uncle Mo--Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo) gallop out after Santa Anita's GII Zenyatta S. was to see a filly who looked like she was pretty proud of herself. Indeed, she should have been. The Zenyatta was Adare Manor's fifth straight win, as well as fourth consecutive graded win, and she took this one in the most facile manner possible, eased up as she cruised under the line a 5 1/4-length victress. Clearly the class of the field as the 1-9 favorite, Adare Manor ran like...

Talk about keeping good company. Kirstenbosch (Midnight Lute), a 4-year-old making her 17th lifetime start for trainer John Sadler, has not raced out of graded-stakes company since her third-place finish in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26. Perhaps more impressively, she's been on the board in all but three of the eight starts since that post-Christmas trifecta. And though absent of the winner's circle since victory in the GIII La Canada S. Jan. 15, Kirstenbosch has run second or third to GISW Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) and a pair...

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 6:00 p.m. WITHOUT CAUSE (Omaha Beach) tackles two turns over the turf in this debut run. Dam Without (Tiznow), out of MGSW Mary's Follies (More Than Ready), is a half-sister to GIII Transylvania S. victor Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), champion female turf horse Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) and Japanese champion dirt horse Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah). Trained by Mark Casse, the $180,000 Keeneland September Yearling sale graduate will have Adam Beschizza in the saddle. Also out for her first test is Bridewood Farm...

5th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6fT, 3:11 p.m. Blue Devil Racing Stable purchased DREAMING OF MO (Uncle Mo) at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale for $700,000. Two years prior, the bay filly's dam Dreaming of You (Pioneerof the Nile) was sold to Phoenix Thoroughbreds with the filly in utero at the Keeneland November Sale for $500,000. Second dam General Jeanne (Honour and Glory) also produced MGSW Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union), who foaled GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}) and three full-brothers by Tapit--MGSW Mohaymen, GSW Enforceable,...

Alex Penn wasn't at Keeneland when his family's Penn Sales sent their first seven-figure yearling through the ring during Book 1 of the September Sale. He was back home in Bourbon County, busy prepping the rest of their consignment's yearlings pointing for the later books. "They were all drinking champagne and I was grooming horses," he said as he jokingly nudged his wife Kendra and laughed, because really, he wouldn't have it any other way. His family's business was founded a century ago as an all-purpose farm--over the years raising...

By Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale's first Book 2 session continued right on from where the auction's elite Book 1 section concluded, producing strong results largely in line with last year's record-setting renewal. During Wednesday's session, 209 yearlings sold for $64,024,000. The session average of $306,335 and the median was $255,000. During last year's Book 2 opener, 219 head grossed $66,695,000 for an average of $304,543 and a median of $250,000. With 83 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 28.42%....

In a reprise of Monday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Uncle Mo and Into Mischief had traded blows at the very top of the market and were together accountable for 10 of the top 11-priced yearlings, they served up an encore Wedesnday. Just minutes after Spendthrift's Into Mischief got his first seven-figure yearling Wednesday, Coolmore's Uncle Mo followed suit with a $1-million colt of his own. Hip 528, a Jan. 13 son of Flighty Almighty (GB) (Elusive Quality), was purchased by Pin Oak Stud's Jim and Dana...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - With the very first horse through the ring bringing $1.3 million, the second session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was off to the races Tuesday and the action didn't slow down throughout the day as the second-to-last offering brought $1.25 million. In between, 13 other yearlings sold for seven figures, including a colt by Into Mischief who brought top price of $3 million from the partnership of Chuck Sonson, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford. With eight million-dollar yearlings Monday, the...