'TDN Rising Star' Mo Town (Uncle Mo), who turned in an uncharacteristically dull performance when only fifth in the GII Risen Star S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 22, breezed five furlongs in 1:02 Friday morning at Payson Park (video). Tony Dutrow, who conditions the son of Grazie Mille (Bernardini) for his Team D, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier, confirmed that the bay colt will make his next start in the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct Apr. 8.
“I thought things went very good today. He was pretty consistent all the way around there,” Dutrow told XBTV.com.
Mo Town earned his Rising Star tag with a seven-length romp through the Belmont mud Sept. 24, was forced to miss the GIII Nashua S. with a minor ailment and closed the season with a 2 1/2-length success in the GII Remsen S. over the Wood Memorial course and distance Nov. 26. The $200,000 Keeneland September purchase was made the 3-2 favorite to pick up where he left off, but he weakened out to finish fifth, beaten over 10 lengths, after racing close to the early pace. Dutrow and his team are willing to draw a line through the effort.
“When we took him to the Fair Grounds, our horse did not perform very well over it,” he told XBTV.com. “[Jockey] Johnny Velazquez felt very strongly that the horse didn't like the surface there and consequently didn't run as well as he had in the past.”
Mo Town subsequently returned to South Florida and worked six furlongs in 1:13.24 Mar. 16 over the Gulfstream Park main track. While Dutrow and Velazquez were satisfied that he handled that particular surface, Dutrow is inclined to stick with the known over the unknown.
“Ultimately I felt that he's proven over the Aqueduct surface and Mo Town does not get any more chances at the Derby trail from here, so he must perform very well in his next start,” the trainer told XBTV.com. “I felt our best chance was in the Wood Memorial.”
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