Breeders Cup 2011 Entries: Uncle Mo Will Run Past Field and onto Silver Screen

This time next year we will be watching commercials for the movie about Uncle Mo's emotional and dominant victory in the Breeders' Cup.

This is the best horse in the field, and he comes with a custom made Hollywood story.

Adversity

Less than six months ago some feared Uncle Mo was on his deathbed. He was suffering from a mysterious illness and was not able to race in the Kentucky Derby.

Uncle Mo had quickly tumbled from being the favorite to win the Triple Crown to being riddled with an unknown illness. 

Thankfully, vets discovered that he was suffering from cholangiohepatitis. Treatments were made, and Uncle Mo was able to resume racing in July.

Erasing Any Doubts

Uncle Mo erased any doubt that he would not be able to return to form when he dominated the field in the Kelso Handicap at Belmont.

He ran the one-mile race in 1:33.82 on a muddy track.

He blew away the field, winning by three lengths on a muddy track at Belmont Park.

Why Uncle Mo Will Win

Uncle Mo has never run the classic mile and a quarter. This is certainly a reason for some trepidation, but not enough to keep him from opening up as the favorite to win this race. And that is for good reason. 

Uncle Mo clearly has the stride, speed and stamina to succeed at this distance. Here is owner Mike Repole as quoted by Nancy Kerchevalon on businessweek.com:

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“The way Mo ran in the Kelso it looked like he could go two miles, and it didn’t look like anybody could catch him.”

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Said jockey John Velasquez after the race, via ESPN:

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"They told me to let him go and to leave him alone, so I just let him do whatever he wanted to do. I had plenty of horse, so when I asked him to run, he was there for me."

 

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Hollywood Made Conclusion

This is the kind of story that Hollywood loves. It has all the ingredients. It sets up for a moment so perfectly full of satisfying synchronicity that if it wasn't real, it would be considered to cheesy. 

Repole sums this up well in an article by Jerry Bossert on the nydailynews.com:

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“I think there’s some irony that this race is in Kentucky. I think it’s special. If you would have told me I can pick a place after everything we’ve gone through this year where I’d want this race, it would be right here.

"So I think there’s some meaning that this race is here. He missed his Kentucky Derby. You can only be a 3-year-old on the first Saturday in May one time in your life, and sometimes you’re not right on that day and unfortunately he wasn’t, but he’s got another shot.”

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America loves second chances, redemption, overcoming the odds and greatness—Uncle Mo has all of those. And after he wins the Belmont, he will have a story ripe for raking in big dollars on the big screen.