' 2011 Kelso Handicap Results
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2011 Kelso Handicap Results


Owner Mike Repole leads Uncle Mo to the winner's circle after the 2011 Kelso Handicap
Date: 10/01/2011

The $200,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) is a major prep for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), but is also a potential Classic (G1) prep. After Sangaree scratched, just 4 went to post in this 1 mile trip around 1 turn of the muddy Belmont main track, with 2010 champion juvenile Uncle Mo sent off as the 3-5 favorite off his close second in the King's Bishop (G1) at Saratoga last out. In to challenge him were 5-2 second choice Jackson Bend, off wins in the James Marvin Stakes and Forego Stakes (G1) both at Saratoga, 3-1 third choice Jersey Town, second in both the Teddy Drone and the Forego, and 14-1 outsider Golddigger's Boy, 5th in the Forego.

Uncle Mo draws off in the stretch.

Jockey John Velazquez sent Uncle Mo to the lead exiting the chute and he was allowed an uncontested lead of 2 lengths down the backstretch through fractiions of 23.47 and 46.03. On the turn, Jackson Bend moved alongside to challenge through 3/4 in 1:09.34, but Uncle Mo turned him away easily, drawing clear through the stretch to win by 3 lengths in 1:33.82 over the muddy, sealed main track. It was a long 8 lengths back to Jersey Town third.

Check out the other races on the card: Jockey Club Gold Cup, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, The Beldame, The Vosburgh, and The Flower Bowl Invitational.

 #  Horse              Jockey          Win  Place   Show
 3  Uncle Mo           Velazquez      3.20   2.30  ---- 
 2  Jackson Bend       Nakatani              2.80  ---- 
 1  Jersey Town        Velasquez                   ---- 

Winning Time:  1:33.82

$2 Exacta  3-2              7.80
Results Chart


Left: Uncle Mo in the crowded winner's circle. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "I would have been surprised if he didn't run really well. He had trained so brilliantly since the King's Bishop. He ran even better than I could have hoped. Jackson Bend put in a serious move around the turn. He was really running; in the form he's in, obviously, he's the horse you're mainly concerned about."

Right: Uncle Mo returns after the race.

Left: heads out to the track before the race. His jockey John Velazquez said, "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."

Right: Uncle Mo in the post parade. His owner Mike Repole said, "In my opinion, if you run Uncle Mo in the Sprint, he's the favorite. If you run Uncle Mo in the Dirt Mile, he's the favorite. If you run him in the Classic, he's probably going to be the favorite. I want to win the Classic. If Mo was in the Mile and won, and Stay Thirsty was in the Classic and finished third, it would be a decision I would regret for the rest of my life. Why not take two shots at a race everybody wants to win?"

Left: Second place finisher Jackson Bend in the post parade. His trainer Nick Zito said, "Uncle Mo is a top horse. Johnny (Velazquez) came over a slight bit because he's so big. He couldn't get in there. Uncle Mo took his path. Jackson Bend came out and tried again. I'm just ecstatic. He ran great. I knew were were running against a top horse. Jackson left everything there. He proved how good he is. Now, we'll go onto the (Breeders' Cup Dirt) Mile race."

Right: Third place finisher Jersey Town crosses the finish line. The 3-1 third choice stalked the pace in second under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, but tired late to check in third beaten 11 lengths. The Barclay Tagg trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 7 seconds, and 2 thirds in 15 starts, earning $483,001 for owner-breeder Charles Fipke.

Check out the other races on the card: Jockey Club Gold Cup, The Beldame, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, The Vosburgh, and The Flower Bowl Invitational.

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