Jerry and Ann Moss's Royal Mo (Uncle Mo) suffered a fracture of the inside right front sesamoid bone during a workout at Pimlico Sunday. He was transported to New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania for further evaluation and treatment.
“There isn't any other damage, so that's a very good thing for him,” trainer John Shirreffs said.
Gary Stevens, who flew in from California to work Royal Mo Sunday, said he heard a pop turning into the stretch while racing outside a workmate.
“He was going better than he was [in his workout] before the Santa Anita Derby,” Stevens said. “I was getting goose bumps down my neck. As we were rounding into the stretch, I was thinking how much I was going to let him gallop out. Thankfully, when he went, I had a hold of him. He looked out for me and I looked out for him. He pulled himself up. He was loving the racetrack. He was getting over it nice. I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that the track was perfect. It's just one of those deals.”
Royal Mo, purchased by the Mosses for $300,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, won the Feb. 4 GIII Robert B. Lewis S. After finishing a well-beaten ninth in the Mar. 18 GII Rebel S., he rebounded with a third-place finish in the Apr. 8 GI Santa Anita Derby, but failed to draw into the field for the May 6 GI Kentucky Derby.
“It's very difficult,” Shirreffs said. “Our hopes and dreams were with Royal Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Moss and my wife, Dottie, were excited to see him run. We're all obviously devastated.”
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