Belmont bets presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winners Mo Donegal dropped out of the 1/2 mile race on June 11 with a bone bruise and will be off training for 60 days, co-owner Donegal Racing announced on July 2.
Hall of Fame coach Todd Pletcher says injury will keep Mo Donegal from running in Breeders’ Cup on Nov. Keeneland.
“He’s definitely not in the Breeders’ Cup. With 60 days off, sometimes you need 120 days for him to be ready. There’s no definite plan yet. We’ll take a deep breath and reassess everything. and see what we can point to,” Pletcher said. “He didn’t move the same way out of (Belmont), so they sent him in for an evaluation and found a bone bruise, which is common.”
Jerry Crawford, CEO of Donegal Racing and co-owner Mike Repole of Repole Stable said they will share Mo Donegal’s progress as the foal continues to be evaluated.
Mo Donegal is currently the top-ranked 3-year-old in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s weekly poll in a broad division that has seen three different horses claim two legs of the Crown. father. The break from practice will continue to keep him out of the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) on August 27 at Racecourse Saratogaa race alongside the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup in November, is one of the most influential in determining the championship title.
A 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo , Mo Donegal won four of seven starts while making $1.5 million, including a 2nd win at Remsen Stakes (G2), this year’s Wood Memorial Stakes by Resorts World Casino (G2) and Belmont presented. He’s behind Thursday’s slow start Rich Strike when he broke through from the inside post during the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) between those two wins.
In the match against Belmont, Mo Donegal scored by three lengths Nest a steady friend of Mo Donegal.
Nest resumes July 1 for Pletcher, working half a mile on the Belmont Park training track in: 51.06. Mo Donegal hasn’t had a wind since Belmont.
