Uncle Mo
It is tough for first-crop stallions to get anywhere near the Kentucky Derby, but Uncle Mo, 2015 Champion First Crop Sire, has three Kentucky Derby contenders. It is tough to think of stallions that have enjoyed such immediate success as Uncle Mo has, but those at Ashford Stud in Versailles, KY, believe that Uncle Mo compares favorably to Danzig in terms of immediate success.
Uncle Mo currently stands at Ashford for an advertised fee of $75,000, which was set back in November. However, Scott Calder, who works in sales and marketing for the farm, implied that if the farm were to start over with Uncle Mo’s 2016 fee, it would easily be double what it is now. For 2017, readers can be sure that Uncle Mo’s fee will be in excess $100,000.
Uncle Mo was a good racehorse, but he’s already proven that his career as a stallion was his true calling and the mark of success that he needed. Uncle Mo hails from the Indian Charlie sire line, being a son of the deceased stallion. Uncle Mo is unusual from all the other Indian Charlie stallions on the market, as he is out of an Arch mare. Some other sons of Indian Charlie are My Pal Charlie and Liason. My Pal Charlie is out of a Halo mare while Liason is out of a Victory Gallop mare.
Since the start of his stud career, thought has gone into what mares Uncle Mo would suit. Scott Calder says that Uncle Mo is “very easy to breed to,” as he is almost a complete outcross of all major sire lines, having only a few traces of Northern Dancer. Uncle Mo’s papa experienced success with the Seattle Slew bloodline and also crossed well with Mr. Prospector, which is what Uncle Mo is likely to cross extremely well with through strains of Seeking the Gold, Gone West and Smart Strike.
Uncle Mo has also shown affinity for the Storm Cat line, as Uncle Mo has a colt named Nyquist, who is out of a Forestry mare. Uncle Mo also has graded stakes-placed filly, Thrilled, who is out of a Giant’s Causeway mare.
Ashford Stud has one of the best broodmare bands in Kentucky, containing all strains of international bloodlines, and will be sending some of their best mares to their star, Uncle Mo, this season. Coolmore has also spent a lot of money to attain some of Uncle Mo’s two-year-olds this year, spending over a million dollars each on two colts in the Florida sales this spring.
Uncle Mo continues to show why he was such a good racehorse, with his determination and tenacity. He is not only passing on looks and temperament to his offspring, according to Scott Calder, but also his talent. Uncle Mo was a very talented racehorse, being undefeated at age two and Champion Two-Year-Old Male in 2010. While he never got a chance to race in the Kentucky Derby, he did race well at age three, winning the listed Timely Writer Stakes and the Grade II Kelso Handicap. He also finished second by a scant nose in the Grade I King’s Bishop at Saratoga.
Uncle Mo carried on a sire line that was seemingly beginning to fall out of favor and he is now a top stallion in the making, being the only stallion in history to ever have over $3 million in juvenile earnings in a single year.
If one of his sons wins the Kentucky Derby, it will be yet another feather in his already highly decorated cap.
