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Uncle Mo arrives at Belmont Park

Pletcher watches as Uncle Mo is unloaded at Belmont Park (NYRA/Coglianese Photography>

Mike Repole's undefeated champion colt UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie) arrived Wednesday morning at Belmont Park in advance of a planned start in Saturday's 87th renewal of the $1 million Wood Memorial S. (G1) at Aqueduct.

Expected on Tuesday, Uncle Mo's flight out of Florida was delayed and eventually canceled due to unsettled weather in New York. Rescheduled for Wednesday, the flight left Palm Beach International at approximately 7:15 a.m. (EDT) and touched down at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, just before 9:45 a.m. Vanned to Belmont from the airport, Uncle Mo arrived in trainer Todd Pletcher's barn shortly after 11:20 a.m.

"He seemed to ship in really well and everything went smoothly," Pletcher said. "I'm glad we waited a day and let the weather clear up. I'd rather have a three hour flight today where everything went perfectly than delays and a turbulent flight yesterday.

"He'll just have some routine gallops here at Belmont on Thursday and Friday and then ship over to Aqueduct the day of the race."

Uncle Mo had a sensational juvenile campaign, including a 14 1/4-length score in his debut at Saratoga, followed by dominant victories in the Champagne S. (G1) at Belmont and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs, earning him Eclipse Award honors as 2010's champion two-year-old male.

Easy winner of the Timely Writer S. at Gulfstream Park last month, the Wood Memorial will be the bay colt's second start of 2011 and his final race before the May 7 Kentucky Derby (G1). Uncle Mo was favored at 3-1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool that closed Sunday evening.

To watch video of the colt's arrival, please click here.


 


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