Uncle Mo

Salvator Mile Becomes Battle of 'Rising Stars' Late, East Avenue Narrowly Bests Bishops Bay

The 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' were neck-and-neck late, but East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) had just enough to produce a final jump and narrowly catch ultra-game Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) in the final strides to win the GIII Salvator Mile. Winless since June 2025 when he took home the GIII Matt Winn Stakes beneath the Twin Spires, the Godolphin homebred went onto the shelf after his fifth-place finish last August in the GIII West Virginia Derby. He returned Mar. 28 at Oaklawn Park in the GIII Oaklawn Mile, and...

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Bishops Bay Returns to Jersey Shore for Salvator Mile Title Defense

Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) will be back to defend his title in Saturday's GIII Salvator Mile S., one of four stakes races on Monmouth Park's 10-race Haskell Preview Day card. After bringing $1.3 million from advisor Pedro Lanz on behalf of the Saudi-based KAS Stables at last year's Keeneland November sale, the 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' was a game winner of the GII Cigar Mile H. Dec. 6 in his first start for his new connections. A respectable fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 14, the Brad...

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Uncle Mo Filly Earns Quarter-Mile Bullet at OBS

On a day when seven horses tied for the fastest furlong work, a filly by the late Uncle Mo (hip 220) stood out when she worked the quarter-mile bullet of :20 2/5 during Wednesday's second session of the under-tack preview of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, the juvenile is out of stakes-placed Corey (First Samurai), who is a half-sister to graded winner Happy Farm (Ghostzapper). Wednesday's work was the filly's second at OBS this spring. She worked a quarter-mile in :20...

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Gun Runner's Leading Change Dazzles on Debut, Newest 'Rising Star'

When you're the half-brother to a multiple Grade I winner, expectations are always high, but Leading Change (Gun Runner) took a big first step to filling those shoes with a dazzling debut at Churchill Downs to earn a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' nod. Selling for the princely price of $800,000 as a yearling at the 2024 Keeneland September sale, the son of Gun Runner had a respectable worktab under his belt by the time he was entered for this contest. Drawn to the far outside, the post made...

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Saturday Insights: Latest Daughter Of Champion Close Hatches Opens Belmont Card

1st-SAR, 115K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 7f, 11:00 a.m. What CROWNING GLORY (Uncle Mo) may lack in race experience, she makes up for in pedigree power. A daughter of Eclipse-winning older mare and MGISW Close Hatches, this filly is a half to a trio of talented runners each sired by the legendary Tapit in MGSW/MGISP Tacitus, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla and GSW Batten Down. Close Hatches is of course herself a full-sister to SW/MGISP Lockdown, the dam of two-time champion Idiomatic (Curlin). Bill Mott, who...

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Her Miss Mo Is Just A Dream

It was the most literal of dream scenarios. The thing is, it had happened before. From time to time, Valerie Mastromonaco will have a dream--always about a horse--and then something will happen to bring it to life. Nothing dramatic, most of the time. True, once she dreamed that a particular horse in the barn had a problem, and unfortunately turned out to be right. But she doesn't take the phenomenon too seriously, as a rule; nor expect anyone else to do so. "I've no theories," she says. "I just think...

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Cambrey Setting a Healthy Trend for the Industry

"As a baby, he was mean," recalls Vickie Hewitt. "When we were prepping him for sale, as a short yearling, he would charge the door, ears back, rearing up." How they handled him on Cambrey Farm, back then, may have a lot to do with the fact that Trendsetter (Modernist) heads to the GIII Peter Pan Stakes on Saturday as a breakout winner of the GIII Lexington Stakes. "We didn't step in there and start yelling at him, or raise our hands," Hewitt recalls. "We'd be very patient. You don't...

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Preservationist's Antiquarian Back in Fine Form, Takes Westchester with Ears Pricked

Antiquarian, winner of last year's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, but last seen being a distant eighth in the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, kicked off 2026 with a stylish victory in the GIII Westchester Stakes Sunday at Aqueduct. The chestnut sat just off the pace as favored Bishops Bay and Quint's Brew were up front through a quarter in :24.19 and a half in :47.00. Antiquarian rolled up three wide on the far turn, stuck a head in front at the top of the lane and strode clear...

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Second Chances: Attard 'Looking Forward to What the Future Holds' With Belle

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. The team behind Moira (Ghostzapper) is back with another very promising filly. Belle (f, 3, Uncle Mo--Lunar Evening, by Malibu Moon) was a too-good-to-lose second--beaten just a head by 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' La Rascasse (Authentic)--first time out for trainer Kevin Attard in a live maiden special weight going seven furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 11. Overlooked at 12-1 in a deep field of 12, Belle...

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April 19 Insights: Into Mischief Sophomores Draw the Eye in Florida, Kentucky

4th-GP, $68k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:25p.m. ET Drawn on the rail and the 9-5 morning line choice for his unveiling, No Compromise (Into Mischief) goes to post for trainer George Weaver and the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Bregman Family Racing. Hailing from the female line which yielded Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Leigh Court (Grand Slam), this $800,000 KEESEP procurement in 2024 has been posting noteworthy works in the morning--three of his last five moves were quick enough to top the tabs at Palm Beach Downs. His dam Beckles Road...

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Authentic Filly La Rascasse 'Resolute' In 'Rising Star' Bow

Resolute Racing's La Rascasse (f, 3, Authentic--Hallawallah, by Candy Ride {Arg}) lost the lead inside the final furlong to fellow first-time starter Belle (Uncle Mo), but the 6-1 chance dug down determinedly hard against the inside rail and had her head in front at the conclusion of a hot-looking maiden special weight Saturday afternoon at Keeneland. The effort was good for 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard honors. One of the first into stride from her high draw, the $750,000 Keeneland September yearling was content to chase from a three-wide...

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Beautifully Bred Justify Filly Looms Large at Hanshin

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Hanshin Racecourse: Saturday, April 4, 2026 1st-HSN, ¥11,280,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, f, 1800m PETRICHOR (JPN) (f, 3, Justify--Nicest {Ire}, by American Pharoah) just failed to overcome gate 14 of 16 on Kyoto debut going this trip on Jan. 11, finishing...

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