Mo Donegal
Mo Donegal | |
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Sire | ) |
Last updated on June 11, 2022 |
Mo Donegal (foaled April 19, 2019) is a retired
Background
Mo Donegal is named for his sire the champion horse Uncle Mo and the horse's co-owner Donegal racing.[2]
Mo Donegal is a bay colt bred by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Farm and consigned to the Keeneland sale by Ashview Farm. Mo Donegal is the second of three foals by Callingmissbrown and her lone stakes winner to date. She also has a 2-year-old Into Mischief filly named Prank, who sold for $500,000 by agent Frank Brothers, from Ashview's consignment at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Jerry Crawford, CEO of Donegal Racing bought Mo Donegal for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and he was named later.[2] Prior to the running of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Mike Repole spent to buy a 25% share of Mo Donegal.[3]
Racing career
2021: two-year-old season
Mo Donegal began his racing career on 30 September in a Maiden Special Weight event over 6+1⁄2 furlongs at Belmont Park. Starting at odds of over 9/1 in a field of seven Mo Donegal broke slowly, was urged by jockey Javier Castellano along while dropping well off the pace. He was steadied briefly with the +1⁄2 mile to run, and was guided from the rail to the two path before the five-sixteenths, was driven four wide into upper stretch. drifted out some in the final furlong and finished with late energy to secure the third place beaten by first time starter Varatti by 5+1⁄4 lengths.[4]
Returning to Belmont Park on 21 October to run over a longer distance of 1+1⁄16 miles, Mo Donegal once again broke a step slow, settling off the early pace. He came under urging late from jockey
In his last start of the year trainer Todd Pletcher entered Mo Donegal in the premier long-distance event for two-years-old in the US, the Grade II
2022: three-year-old season
Mo Donegal began his three-year-old season in South Florida at Gulfstream Park in Grade III Holy Bull Stakes on 5 February. Starting as the 8/5 favorite Mo Donegal broke slowly, saved ground recovering to midpack early, moved out four wide idling a bit under pressure approaching the stretch, had a mild late surge on the far outside and finished third by 4+1⁄2 lengths to White Abarrio in a time of 1:424⁄5.[7] Todd Pletcher after the event said, "I was happy with the way he closed. It actually kind of hurt us that second placed Simplification didn't break well because it kind of altered the fractions of the race and there wasn't a whole lot of pace on, and that's always a disadvantage at Gulfstream."[8] Mo Donegal was supposed to target the Fountain of Youth Stakes but a fever forced Pletcher to change plans.[9]
Todd Pletcher shipped Mo Donegal back to New York State where he had been successful. On April 9 Mo Donegal ran in the Grade II
With 112 qualifying points on the
On 11 June, Mo Donegal was entered to the Belmont Stakes and faced his stablemate, the filly Nest and 2022 Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and five other horses.[13] Mo Donegal was selected as the fourth pick in the field starting at odds of just over 5/1.[13]
Mo Donegal coaxed from the gate, went two to three wide through the opening bend before settling three wide in pursuit down the backstretch in mid pack. Jockey
Donegal Racing announced in early July that Mo Donegal left the Belmont with a bone bruising and would be out of training for 60 days. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the injury would prevent Mo Donegal from running in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland.[15] The timing of the injury would ultimately lead to the horse's retirement.[16]
Statistics
Date | Distance | Race | Grade | Track | Odds | Field | Finish | Winning time | Winning (Losing) margin |
Jockey | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 – Two-year-old season | ||||||||||||
Sep 30, 2021 | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Belmont Park | 9.40 | 7 | 3 | 1:17.19 | (5+1⁄4 lengths) | Javier Castellano | [4] | ||
Oct 21, 2021 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Maiden Special Weight | Belmont Park | 1.35* | 9 | 1 | 1:44.50 | 1+1⁄2 lengths | Irad Ortiz Jr
|
[5] | ||
Dec 4, 2021 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Remsen Stakes | II | Aqueduct | 1.45 | 8 | 1 | 1:53.61 | Nose | Irad Ortiz Jr
|
[17] | |
2022 – Three-year-old season | ||||||||||||
Feb 5, 2022 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Holy Bull Stakes | III | Gulfstream Park | 1.70* | 9 | 3 | 1:42.80 | (4+1⁄2 lengths) | Irad Ortiz Jr
|
[7] | |
Apr 9, 2022 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Wood Memorial
|
II | Aqueduct | 2.15 | 8 | 1 | 1:47.96 | Neck | Joel Rosario | [10] | |
May 7, 2022 | 1+1⁄4 miles | Kentucky Derby | I | Churchill Downs | 10.10 | 20 | 5 | 2:02.61 | (3+3⁄4 lengths) | Irad Ortiz Jr
|
[12] | |
Jun 11, 2022 | 1+1⁄2 miles | Belmont Stakes | I | Belmont Park | 2.60* | 8 | 1 | 2:28.28 | 3 lengths | Irad Ortiz Jr
|
[13] |
Stud career
Mo Donegal's retirement was announced on 16 September 2022. Donegal Racing's Jerry Crawford indicated that the bone bruising following the Belmont Stakes would not allow Mo Donegal to make his target races for the remainder of the year, and that the best decision was to retire him. Mo Donegal will stand at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky for an initial stud fee of $20,000 in 2023.[16]
Pedigree
Sire Uncle Mo 2008 |
Indian Charlie 1995 |
In Excess (IRE) 1987 |
Siberian Express 1981 |
---|---|---|---|
Kantado (IRE) 1976 | |||
Soviet Sojourn 1989 |
Leo Castelli 1984 | ||
Political Parfait 1984 | |||
Playa Maya 2000 |
Arch 1995 |
Kris S. 1977 | |
Aurora 1988 | |||
Dixie Slippers 1995 |
Dixieland Band 1980 | ||
Cyane's Slippers 1983 | |||
Dam Callingmissbrown 2012 |
Pulpit 1994 |
A.P. Indy 1989 |
Seattle Slew 1974 |
Weekend Surprise 1980 | |||
Preach 1989 |
Mr Prospector * 1970
| ||
Narrate 1980 | |||
Island Sand 2001 |
Tabasco Cat 1991 |
Storm Cat 1983 | |
Barbicue Sauce 1983 | |||
Sue's Last Dance 1995 |
Forty Niner*^ 1985 | ||
Savethelastdance 1988 (family 3-g)[19] |
*^ Mo Donegal is
References
- ^ "2022 Belmont Stakes winner". Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ^ a b Ehalt, Bob (9 April 2022). "Late Momentum Carries Mo Donegal to Wood Score; The son of Uncle Mo rallied late to turn back Early Voting in the 1 1/8-mile test". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Ehalt, Bob (12 June 2022). "Mo Donegal Rolls Home in Belmont Stakes; The son of Uncle Mo turned back Nest to win the third leg of the Triple Crown". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Chart for September 30, 2021 at Belmont Park - race 6". www.equibase.com. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Chart for October 21, 2021 at Belmont Park - race 7". www.equibase.com. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ King, Byron (4 December 2021). "Mo Donegal Survives Inquiry to Take Remsen; Mo Donegal nipped Zandon Dec. 4 after the pair raced in tight quarters at Aqueduct". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Holy Bull Stakes Grade 3 - (race 11)". Equibase. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ King, Byron (5 February 2022). "White Abarrio Defeats Simplification in Holy Bull; Anticipated pacesetter Simplification rallied for second after breaking slowly". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Ehalt, Bob (5 May 2022). "Mo Donegal Sparks Derby Dreams for Crawford & Donegal; Pletcher-trained son of Uncle Mo will be partnership's 4th Derby starter since 2010". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "2022 Wood Memorial S. Presented by Resorts World Casino Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
- ^ Ehalt, Bob (9 April 2022). "Late Momentum Carries Mo Donegal to Wood Score; The son of Uncle Mo rallied late to turn back Early Voting in the 1 1/8-mile test". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Chart for the 2022 Kentucky Derby". Equibase. Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Chart for the 2022 Belmont Stakes". Equibase. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Rollins, Molly (11 June 2022). "Mo Donegal Rolls Home in Belmont Stakes; The son of Uncle Mo turned back Nest to win the third leg of the Triple Crown". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ BloodHorse Staff (2 July 2022). "Mo Donegal Sidelined With Bone Bruising". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Eric (17 September 2022). "Belmont Winner Mo Donegal Retired to Spendthrift". The BloodHorse. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ "Remsen Stakes Grade 2 - (race 8)". Equibase. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "Mo Donegal". Pedigree Query. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - SATCHEL (GB) - Family 3-g". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 12 June 2022.