Kentucky Derby 2011: Uncle Mo Strikes Back?

Added on May 04, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

Horse Racing

The competitive demise of one time Kentucky Derby betting favorite Uncle Mo appears to have been greatly exaggerated. Following a disappointing third place performance in the Wood Memorial and the revelation that Mo was suffering a gastrointestinal infection he not only fell from the position as betting favorite but was questionable to even race in the Derby at all. That appears to have changed dramatically, with Mo reportedly back to 100% and training well. Mo’s connections are now so confident that owner Mike Repole has boldly claimed that if his horse isn’t the Kentucky Derby favorite he’ll bet enough on him to *make* him the top pick in the race.

What a difference a week or so makes. It was just that long ago that Pletcher and Repole were giving baleful assessments of Uncle Mo’s prospects for even racing in the Kentucky Derby. The general take is that he’d have to have a perfect 19 days of training to even be considered for entry. It got to the point that you almost expected Pletcher to say he wouldn’t run Uncle Mo in the Kentucky Derby unless he spoke up and asked for it a la Mister Ed.

Pletcher is still being coy about Mo’s condition, but Repole has all but said he’dpersonally take the public’s action on the Kentucky Derby if they’re looking to go against his horse. Repole has boldly asserted that if Uncle Mo isn’t the post time favorite that he’ll go to the window strong enough to make him the chalk:

“If he’s not going off the favorite, I’ll make him the favorite.”

Repole also owns Uncle Mo’s stablemate Stay Thirsty, and reports suggest that Mo has been slightly faster in training:

“Now at least I know I have my exacta for the Derby. I’m going to box it now. In a perfect world it would be a dead-heat, and I’d win two Derbies in one day.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher was more low key about the progress of Stay Thirsty and Uncle Mo:

“Both seemed to handle the going well. It indicates that both horses are fit and coming up to this in good order.”

With the withdrawal of Toby’s Corner–the horse that beat Uncle Mo in the Wood Memorial–due to injury and a wide open field remaining it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Mo could go off the Kentucky Derby betting favorite even without his owner making a handsome wager on his behalf.