Donegal Racing’s and Repole Stable’s Mo Donegal 1st grade award winning millionaire by Uncle Mo who captured the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) in June, has retired and will stand his ground next year at Spendthrift Farm. His fee will be $20,000.
Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift said: “It is always exciting when you can get a stallion of the caliber of Mo Donegal, and we are grateful to Jerry Crawford, Mike Repole and Donegal partners. Racing gave this opportunity. “You can’t always give breeders a classic winning sire by an emerging stallion, like Uncle Mo. The bet winner is five years old and beats a few. best offspring from a pretty good crop of 3-year-olds this year. We expect him to be extremely popular and we invite breeders to come see him.”
Mo Donegal escaped his win in the Triple Crown finals with some bruising, and it was ultimately determined that the three-timer ranked winner would have to retire.
(LR): Gioia and Mike Repole, Irad Ortiz Jr., Jerry Crawford and Todd Pletcher after Mo Donegal’s Belmont Stakes victory
“The Donegal Racing partners and I couldn’t be prouder of Mo Donegal and the special positions he has taken us to over the last two seasons,” said Crawford, CEO of Donegal Racing. “The timing of the bone bruise is unfortunate and won’t allow us to do any target races for the rest of the year. We feel the best decision is to retire him and we are very pleased. Glad he’s getting the wonderful opportunity to make a great steed at a place like Spendthrift.”
Repole, who bought back an ownership stake in the son of his former star steady, Uncle Mo earlier this year, said: “I followed Mo Donegal as a 2-year-old last year in Saratoga, because Todd (Pletcher) trained and liked him and, obviously, he’s Uncle Mo’s son. I was impressed and I watched him win the Remsen. the horse went 8 miles when he was 2 years old, and I knew he was going to get better.. He went on to beat Wood, which was amazing, and then he gave me a thrill. the biggest of his life, winning the Belmont Stakes Mo Donegal was a beautiful son of Uncle Mo, and he beat some of the best—Zandon i’m dirty Nest , Vote early . Just very impressive all around. ”
Mo Donegal broke his first break last year in Belmont before winning his first bet in Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct race track in the next start, defeat Zandon, the ultimate level 1 winner.
Mo Donegal Beats Early Voting in Wood Memorial Piles at Aqueduct Track
Now 3 years old, he won the Wood Memorial Stakes presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) in front of the eventual winner Preakness Stakes (G1). Skippylongstocking run 1 1/8 mile in 1:47.96 — fastest time recorded in a multi-tier Kentucky Derby prep race since Bellamy Road’s 1:47.16 in 2005. Followed by a tough fifth towel from the one-hole Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Mo Donegal returns to New York for a decisive win at Belmont in three races longer than three-time tier 1 winner Nest and three winners other classifications, including Kentucky Derby winners Rich Strike .
“Classic winners through our program will always be special to me, and Mo Donegal showed in his Belmont Stakes, winning what we always thought of him,” Pletcher said. . “We went into this year’s (Kentucky) Derby with confidence, but a gaping hole was too hard to overcome. Obviously, with Uncle Mo training, we are delighted to be able to maneuver one of the good things. Mo Donegal has shown tremendous talent since we first put him at age 2, and he has always been a very classy, good-minded, good-looking pony. have to imagine the breeders would love him.”
Nyquist as Uncle Mo’s millionaire classic winner at school. He’s out Pulp mare Callmissbrown a daughter of a high school student and a multi-stock producer Sand Island . The immediate family also produces the Queen’s Plate winner Niigon was the second largest male in Canada in 2012 and was in the top 10 for many years.
Callmissbrown produced three winners out of many races, including Mo Donegal’s half-sister Prank (Into Mischief ) who won the launch race on July 31 at Racecourse Saratoga 9 3/4 of the length for Pletcher and the owner group of StarLadies Racing, LNJ Foxwoods and Gainesway Stable.
