We Want Some 'Mo', We Want Some 'Mo'!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of weeks you know that the most anticipated three-year-old debut to hit the racing scene is years will finally be launched Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Timely Writer Stakes. When Uncle Mo steps onto the track to contest the Timely Writer Stakes Saturday afternoon his every move will be watched, analyzed and scrutinized down to the smallest detail. After compiling one of the most impressive juvenile seasons in the last 25 years in 2010 the bar of expectation is set incredibly high for the young champion. The 1 mile Timely Writer Stakes is pretty much a custom made race for Uncle Mo’s debut and Gulfstream Park is expecting one of their largest crowds ever to attend a juvenile race and perhaps the largest since Spectacular Bid took to the track as a two-year-old in 1978.

The undefeated phenomenon will be an overwhelming favorite to win over a small group of very out-classed opponents. Madman Diaries will be the biggest threat to Uncle Mo if he isn’t scratched but even if he runs it should make little difference to the outcome. In the event that he doesn’t scratch Madman Diaries will most likely try to make a run of it from the beginning and contest the pace.

Rattlesnake Bridge was an impressive winner of his first and only start at Gulfstream Park on February 12th, winning a 6 furlong maiden special weight after in spite of running greenly.

Rocking Out, Schoolyard Cat and Gallant Dreams complete the field.

In my opinion Uncle Mo is simply above and beyond this group of colts and should win without breaking a sweat. There are only two planned starts for the Champion before he heads to the Kentucky Derby, the Timely Writer and Wood Memorial (gr.1) so a win in the Timely Writer is pretty essential. His works have been outstanding all year and workmate Stay Thirsty flattered his form by winning the Gotham Stakes last Saturday. If we see a performance up to par with his 2010 form he could end up winning by daylight. A loss for Uncle Mo, as unlikely as that seems, would go down as one of the biggest upsets in modern history.

In the end it all comes down to this; the vast majority of the racing public would love to see this colt become the superstar of our era and make Triple Crown history, and the first step on that long and difficult road will come in the Timely Writer. Perhaps the chanting of a football team in practice mode says it best: “We want some ‘MO’, we some ‘MO’”!