Turning for Home - Racing Commentary Spotlight, expectations focused upon this weekend

1 1 Come Saturday afternoon, the focus of an industry will in the Juvenile by 4 ⁄4 lengths, running a 1 ⁄4. longingly will turn from somber eco- What happens next will be extremely

nomic prospects to the warmth and IMES telling. With only two races standing be- T promise of . tween Uncle Mo and the Derby, All eyes will be focused on the seem- he cannot afford to simply jog in the Timely ingly invincible one—the horse, the Writer and then hope to win the first leg Bob Ehalt myth, the legend himself, Uncle Mo. HOROUGHBRED of the Triple Crown from memory. The sport’s once and perhaps fu- According to Friedman, the ideal pat- Bob Ehalt has been ture king is expected to make his three- tern for Uncle Mo would be an easy— a TIMES year-old debut on Saturday in the for him—4 in the , followed correspondent for more ungraded Timely Writer Stakes. In PhotosByZ.com/T by a 1 in the than 15 years, most UNCLE MO recently specializing in that one-turn mile, his competition will (G1), which, in theory, should lead to a stories on Ragozin pale in comparison to the legendary horses he has been minus figure and victory in Louisville. speed figures. compared with since his romp in the Grey Goose Breed- “If he can get back to his two-year-old top with a 1 in the Currently employed ers’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in November. Wood, that would be a perfect takeoff level for him,” Friedman at the New Haven You can put him on the same page as , Af- said. “It could make him look unbeatable in the Derby.” Register, he has been an award-winning sports firmed, and , except that each of them tasted Conversely, a slow effort, like an 8, in the Timely Writer writer/editor in Con- defeat at two. and Devil’s Bag perhaps are could open the door for a bounce at a highly inopportune necticut for nearly 30 the two champions from bygone days that could match time. years and has covered both Uncle Mo’s spotless record and dominance over his , the 2007 champion two-year-old male, pro- peers. Yet even they could not match the one element that vides a recent example of what can go wrong when a horse since 1985. In 2009, has elevated Uncle Mo to such revered status—his speed. who was brilliant at two returns with a mediocre debut at he was the recipient of the inaugural Breeders’ A few weeks after the Breeders’ Cup, Len Friedman, a three. Although War Pass was hailed for winning his three- 1 Cup writing award for partner with Ragozin Thoroughbred Data, reviewed Uncle year-old debut by 7 ⁄2 lengths in an allowance race, he reg- outstanding social Mo’s three races at two and proclaimed: “There have been istered only a 9 that day—and never won another race. media communication horses who have run faster in one race than Uncle Mo ... Going too fast in the Timely Writer or the Wood also for his blog at www. but in terms of all of his races at two, I’ve never seen a two- could pose a problem by bringing Uncle Mo to a peak ntra.com. He has re- year-old with a line of figures as fast as his. It’s unheard of.” performance too early, and making him vulnerable at ceived five Top 5 awards in the national Associ- It is against that glorious backdrop that Uncle Mo will some point in the Triple Crown series. ated Press Sports Edi- begin his magical march to Louisville and the Kentucky “The race I would be worried about is the Wood,” Friedman tor writing contest, the Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). Given the ex- said. “If Uncle Mo turns in a big effort there, like a minus- premier competition for pected level of competition in Saturday’s race, it seems a 1, you could be looking at a situation where he goes back- sports journalists, and foregone conclusion that Uncle Mo will exit the Timely wards in the Derby. I just couldn’t see him winning the serves as the president Writer with an unblemished record. Derby off a minus-1 or minus-2. So few horses can handle of the Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance. His reputation may not be so lucky. For as much as a negative number that early without bouncing badly.” He lives in Shelton, Con- Uncle Mo probably could win by four or 14 lengths on Sat- Uncle Mo’s owner, Mike Repole, who understands the necticut, with his wife, urday, what promises to matter more is his speed figure. philosophy behind the Ragozin Sheets, said in a recent Carylanne, and sons, It was Ragozin speed figures that painted him as a once- interview that he would be happy with a 6 and then a 3 Matt, Tim, and Jeffrey. in-a-generation runner, and his figure on Saturday should in Uncle Mo’s first two races, followed by, quite hopefully, provide some insight as to whether Uncle Mo will be re- a 0 in the Derby. membered as another Seattle Slew or another Devil’s Bag. Repole added that in setting up Uncle Mo’s races with In his three two-year-old races, Uncle Mo started with trainer , the intent was to mirror his three- 1 a 14 ⁄4-length victory in a maiden race that earned him a race season at two. The Timely Writer would be the maiden To comment on this 1 spectacular Ragozin speed figure of 2 ⁄2. It was expected race, the Wood would sub for the Champagne, and the Derby column or to send a that he might regress in his second start off a number that would be an encore of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, with both letter to the editor of taxing, and he did, but he slid back only marginally to a 4 wins coming under the Twin Spires of . THOROUGHBRED TIMES in winning the Cham- That would give Uncle Mo three 2011 victories and TODAY, send an e-mail Road to the pagne Stakes (G1) by three fast times, leaving him with one down and two to to letters@ ® 3 4 ⁄4 lengths. After that, go in the quest for a far more regal three-for-three thoroughbredtimes.com TRIPLE CROWN he moved forward and that will legitimize every lofty word spoken about him Sponsored by overwhelmed his rivals this winter—and then some. Think you’re too late to order a Buyer’s Guide? Think Again! FREE FedEx shipping for all domestic orders! Get all the information you need on every hip before every sale. Call Wendy Young to order your Buyer’s Guide TODAY! 859.260.9800, ext. 7199 www.thoroughbredtimes.com Thoroughbred Times TODAY March 9, 2011 4