Breeders Cup 2011 Entries: Uncle Mo an Unlikely Choice for Classic Favorite

Uncle Mo has yet to accomplish many of the things that favorites usually have in the Breeders’ Cup Classic that is being run at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

At 5-2 odds to capture the $5 million purse, you would expect Uncle Mo to have run a race at the one and a quarter mile distance the Classic is set at, won a race over 11/16 of a mile and perhaps even have won a Grade I race this year.

Uncle Mo has done absolutely none of those things, but he is still the favorite to win it all on Saturday.

Oddsmakers can’t even really figure out a good reason why Uncle Mo was made the favorite.

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“Publicity, Pletcher,” oddsmaker Mike Battaglia said, referring to other factors in making Mo the program favorite. “I mean, he’s been hyped since before the Kentucky Derby... I personally don’t like him, but I think people are going to bet on him. I think he deserves it. He was so impressive last time out. As far as getting a mile and a quarter, he could do it. But I think it will be awful tough.”

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The "last time out" Battaglia is referring to is when the pony won the four-horse, mile-long Kelso Handicap in his last race.

That Kelso Handicap was only a Grade II race but Uncle Mo ran it at a blinding Beyer Speed of 118.

Uncle Mo also doesn’t have much competition as the No. 2 favorite is Havre de Grace, a four-year-old filly that is a 3-1 favorite, just behind Mo.

These two are going to be the public favorites so solid choices like So You Think, Flat Out, Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve are all great value picks for Saturday’s Classic.

Expect Mo to run hard and finish near the front, but I don’t think he’ll win and I don’t think he should be the favorite.