Is Uncle Mo, the unbeaten champion who is death-and-taxes vs. nine wanna-be’s in tomorrow’s Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the horse who will save horse racing?
The Wood, Uncle Mo’s first start at a mile-and-an-eighth, will be his final prep as the favorite for the May 7 Kentucky Derby. Expectations are already running high; if ‘Mo’ wins the Wood the way he did his first four starts, they will go through the roof.
“He has an opportunity to do something really, really special for racing that we haven’t seen in a long, long time,” said his owner, Mike Repole, 42, a quintessential New Yorker whose orange-and-blue racing silks are taken from the colors of his beloved Mets. “Just as a racing fan, just for the sport, I hope he does.”
Ever since Affirmed turned back Alydar to take the Triple Crown in 1978, many young colts have captured the public’s imagination — Devil’s Bag, Easy Goer, Arazi, Smarty Jones and Barbaro, to name a few — but none reached the promised land.
Ever since Uncle Mo won the first time out last summer at Saratoga by 14 lengths in a dazzling 1:09 1/5, he’s been the latest chosen one, following that debut with a 4 ¾-length score in the Champagne and a 4½-length romp in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.
“The Breeders’ Cup was probably the best race he ran yet,” said jockey John Velazquez. “He rated and did everything I wanted to do, and then when I asked him to run down the lane, he exploded. He showed that he can be any kind of horse.”
But as Hall-of-Fame horseman Nick Zito says, “With great expectations come great disappointments.”
Assuming Uncle Mo — who won his only start this year, the Timely Writer at Gulfstream Park, by 3¾ lengths — heads for Louisville seeking the join Majestic Prince, Seattle Slew, Smarty Jones and Barbaro as an undefeated Derby winner, the hype will reach a fever pitch.
Wearing the roses won’t be enough. Just as the Yankees fall short if they don’t win the World Series, for Uncle Mo it will be “Triple Crown or bust!”
“I wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “In most of his races, all he’s been running against, essentially, is the clock. When you think about the great horses of all time, he has the potential to be among that group.”
The Wood (post time 5:48 p.m. as the 10th race on an 11-race card) will be televised by HRTV, TVG and NYRA Channel 71. It also can be seen on the Internet at NTRA.com, and at NYRA.com if you are a NYRA Rewards member.
