by J.N. Campbell and Alan Carasso

Champion 2-year-old colt and leading sire Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie–Playa Maya, by Arch) was euthanized at Ashford Stud on Thursday morning after suffering a left foreleg injury, according to a tweet by Mike Repole on X and post on the Coolmore America website. Surgery was performed on Wednesday. He was 16-years-old.

“I am devastated and saddened to share with you that Uncle Mo was euthanized earlier today following a left foreleg injury,” said Repole. “He had surgery yesterday. Unfortunately, this morning the recovery process was too much for him to endure.

“The Repole Stable family, Todd Pletcher family and the entire Coolmore family are heartbroken,” he said. “Uncle Mo was so much more to me than a champion and iconic stallion–he was and always will be a part of my family. Uncle Mo is the patriarch of Repole Stable. There will never be another horse that makes me feel or will impact my life the way that Uncle Mo has.

“I want to thank Todd Pletcher and his barn, Johnny Velazquez, the Coolmore Family, especially Uncle Mo‘s personal groom, Rene, and for everyone who loved Uncle Mo, for all the love and support they gave Uncle Mo,” Repole said. “I am so grateful for the time that Uncle Mo and I spent together this May. Thank you Uncle Mo for fulfilling my childhood dreams of owning a special racehorse.

“I love you Uncle Mo,” he said. Rest In Peace.”

I am devastated and saddened to share with you that Uncle Mo was euthanized earlier today following a left foreleg injury.

He had surgery yesterday. Unfortunately, this morning the recovery process was too much for him to endure.

The Repole Stable family, Todd Pletcher… pic.twitter.com/ZHIo0yJGn8

— Repole Stable (@RepoleStable) December 19, 2024

Coolmore added their own post on their website and paid homage to the top sire.

“We’re all still in shock,” said Coolmore America’s Dermot Ryan. “He will be greatly missed by everyone here in particular by his personal groom Rene. He was an exceptional sire both on the racetrack and in the sales ring. I would like to thank Mike Repole for giving us the opportunity to stand him in the first instance and for being a truly fantastic partner, Todd Pletcher for training him to perfection, the Coolmore partners for placing such faith in him and our loyal clients for their unwavering support over the years.

Ryan added, “I would also like to thank Dr. Barry David, Dr. Bob Hunt and Dr. Cole Sandow of Hagyards for their efforts to save him along with all the team here at Ashford for the excellent care they afforded him throughout his time here.”

Uncle Mo (2008 – 2024).
Hugely successful Ashford stallion and brilliant racehorse Uncle Mo was euthanised earlier today on veterinary advice following an… https://t.co/aK19V87W47 pic.twitter.com/BG6Ti3wnez

— Coolmore America (@coolmoreamerica) December 19, 2024

Bred by D. Michael Cavey DVM, Uncle Mo was sold as a weanling for $160,000 at the 2008 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and then it was Repole who purchased him during Keeneland September for $220,000.

Debuting on the Travers undercard at Saratoga in 2010, the word was out on the Todd Pletcher trainee, and he duly obliged, breaking his maiden by a whopping 14 1/4 lengths going six furlongs as the 9-10 favorite and earned a no-brainer ‘TDN Rising Star’ for his effort. Uncle Mo then dominated the GI Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park by 4 3/4 lengths and wrapped up the 2-year-old Eclipse Award with a 4 1/4-length defeat of Boys at Tosconova (Officer) in that year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

Uncle Mo‘s 3-year-old campaign began with a score in the Timely Writer Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March and he finished third in the GI Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct. The GI Kentucky Derby morning-line second choice on the, Uncle Mo was forced to scratch on the day of the race with a gastrointestinal issue.

Sent to WinStar Farm to deal with what was diagnosed as cholangiohepatitis–a liver and bile passage inflammation–the colt returned after nearly six months and was the run down on the wire in the GI King’s Bishop Stakes at the Spa. Back to winning ways in a sloppy-track renewal of the one-mile GII Kelso Handicap at Belmont, he was unplaced behind Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic before being retired to stand at Coolmore with a record of 5-1-1 from eight starts and earnings of $1,606,000.

Havre de Grace walks past Uncle Mo in the Belmont paddock | Sarah Andrew

It did not take long for Uncle Mo to make his mark in the breeding shed, as his first crop yielded nearly 100 individual winners, 25 of which became black-type winners of which 14 were achieved in graded stakes company. There was no better advertisement from that first group of horses than Nyquist, who followed in his sire’s hoofprints in becoming the champion of his generation in 2015 before adding the GI Kentucky Derby the following spring. Repole homebred Outwork was one of three additional top-level scores from the crop of 2013, earning that accolade in the 2016 GI Wood Memorial Stakes, and he was joined by GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes heroine Gomo and future GI Apple Blossom Handicap victress Unbridled Mo.

To date, Uncle Mo has accounted for 15 Grade I winners, among them the brilliantly fast Golden Pal, winner of the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2020 and the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint the following season. Golden Pal is set to carry on the legacy of his sire at Ashford, who also stand Uncle Mo‘s Grade I-winning turf horse Mo Town. Uncle Mo‘s other Grade I winners include: Adare Manor, who sold for $2.8 million at this year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale, A Mo Reay, Bast, Dream Tree and Mo Forza. Overall, Uncle Mo is responsible for 109 stakes winners to date, some 56 at the graded level, and his progeny have earned nearly $125 million.

Uncle Mo is also an emerging sire of sires, in addition to Darley America’s Nyquist. GI Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal, champion sprinter Yaupon and GI Stephen Foster Stakes hero Kingsbarns each reside at Spendthrift Farm, Caracaro holds court at Crestwood Farm and Arabian Knight is a new addition to the stallion roster at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. In 2020, Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork occupied three of the top four spots on the first-crop sire list.

One of Uncle Mo‘s top accolades was the 2015 record he set as a freshman sire for earnings with $3,717,490, which dethroned the great Tapit. Ashford’s stud held that mark until 2021 when Gun Runner eclipsed it. Nyquist propelled Uncle Mo into third on the general sires’ list of 2016 and he maintained a spot in the top 20 for the next three seasons. The third-leading general sire of 2020, Uncle Mo finished 2021 in eighth place, improved into sixth the following year and was the fourth-leading sire in 2023. Uncle Mo is currently among the top 10 sires for 2024.

In addition to the aforementioned Arabian Knight, Mo Town and Caracaro, Uncle Mo has been represented by a total of 19 ‘TDN Rising Stars’, four of which have achieved the distinction in 2024, including SW & GISP Donegal Momentum, the Todd Pletcher-trained GII Saratoga Special Stakes winner Showcase, MSW Long Neck Paula and Star of Wonder, a once-beaten half-brother to GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil).

Uncle Mo is only just hitting his straps as a broodmare sire, and his prowess now and going forward has no better representative than champion 3-year-old filly elect and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Thorpedo Anna. Daughters of Uncle Mo have also produced this year’s GI Arkansas Derby-winning ‘Rising Star’ Muth (Good Magic), Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) and the late Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}). With much more to come, Uncle Mo daughters have accounted for 24 black-type winners, 12 at the graded level.

The young progeny of Uncle Mo have been increasingly sought-after in domestic auction houses, as he was represented by no fewer than five seven-figure sellers at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale, while a yearling colt out of the stakes-placed Spring Eclipse (Unbridled’s Song) fetched an even $1 million at this year’s September Sale. His 2-year-olds sold for up to $750,000 this season.

Uncle Mo with his groom Rene at Ashford Stud | Sarah Andrew

Uncle Mo‘s trainer Todd Pletcher said when reached by phone, “Just super sad for everyone involved. He’s such a special horse. I remember the first time I saw him train in March of his 2-year-old year and he was just awesome.

“Uncle Mo absolutely stood out in the crop and came in,” he said. “And I think you could argue he was the best 2-year-old of all-time. His maiden win at Saratoga was as impressive as you’ll ever see followed by the win in the Champagne. And I think people that look at speed figures would agree his Breeders’ Cup was one of the best for sure.

“And then he goes on and becomes a great sire,” said Pletcher. “He has a Derby winner in his first crop and now it looks like he’s well on his way to being a terrific broodmare sire. It’s a big loss for the Repole organization, our team and a big loss for the industry.” —Additional reporting by Bill Finley

Farewell, Uncle Mo. 💙 pic.twitter.com/ap3U4AivXh

— Coolmore America (@coolmoreamerica) December 19, 2024