A number of graded stakes winner Modernist , a son of perennial leading sire Uncle Mo from a prolific female family, has been retired and will begin his new career as a stallion in 2022 at Darby Dan Farm in a deal brokered by Matt Bowling, the farm announced Oct. 26. He will stand for $10,000.
“He is a tremendously good-looking horse with a mind to match and hails from a strong and accomplished female family,” said Ryan Norton, stallion director at Darby Dan Farm. Bowling is partner in the stallion.
A homebred for Martin and Pam Wygod and trained by Bill Mott, Modernist enjoyed his best season in 2020. In his first start of the year, he was a dominating four-length maiden special weight winner at Aqueduct Racetrack in January and adopted that spectacular wire-to-wire victory with a one-length rating within the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes Introduced by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Truthful Grounds Race Course & Slots in his preliminary foray into stakes firm. In his subsequent begin, he was strong third within the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) after touring 4 to 5 paths vast all through.
“He received at 1 1/8 miles in New York and progressed rather well within the early a part of his 3-year-old yr,” Mott mentioned about Modernist following the Risen Star victory. “He is turn out to be extra mature and is skilled about every little thing. He has loads of stamina, in addition to tactical velocity. Disposition is so vital in these sorts of races, and he has lots of composure.”
At 4, Modernist landed one other graded stakes win within the Excelsior Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, the place he beat Haikal by 2 1/2 lengths, and was runner-up in the Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) and Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes (G3). In the Pimlico Special, Modernist outran eventual grade 1 winner Max Player ; grade 1-placed, graded stakes winner Enforceable ; and graded winners Harpers First Ride and Fearless .
Modernist retired with 3-2-2 file from 11 begins and earned $576,300.
The colt hails from a prolific household. His dam, Symbolic Gesture, is a daughter of quickly rising broodmare sire Bernardini and out of grade 1-placed stakes winner and 2009 Broodmare of the Yr Candy Life, making her a half sister to 2 grade 1 winners. Candy Life (Kris S.) is the dam of Candy Catomine , champion 2-year-old filly and winner of the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Del Mar Debutante (G1), and Oak Leaf Stakes (G2). At 3, Sweet Catomine won the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3). Sweet Life also produced Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) and Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) winner Life Is Sweet and and grade 2-placed stakes winner Calimonco.
Sweet Life, also bred and raced by the Wygods, is a half sister to grade 1 winner Pirate’s Revenge, grade 3-placed stakes winner Caribbean Pirate, and multiple stakes winner Echo of Yesterday.
