Mila Mullens and Blazing Meadows Farm's Uncle Charming provided Equistar Training and Breeding's Uncle Vinny with his first winner in gate-to-wire fashion May 4 at Belterra Park.
The 3-year-old gelding trained by Timothy Hamm broke on top under Santiago Gonzalez and fended off a late challenger to win by half a length in Race 6, a one-mile maiden claiming event. He completed the distance on a sloppy main track in 1:41.43.
Uncle Charming was bred in Florida by Good Beginnings Farm out of the Personal First mare Charming Peggy.
Uncle Vinny, a 7-year-old son of Uncle Mo, was bred in Florida by Gilbert Campbell and produced from the stakes-winning Untuttable mare Arealhotlover and is a half brother to stakes winner Legal Laura.
He was a $175,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Starlight Racing from the Summerfield consignment and trained by Todd Pletcher. At 2 he won the Sandford Stakes (G3) and also placed third in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) during the Saratoga Race Course meet. He added more black type at 3 when third in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park. In 12 career starts, Uncle Vinny compiled a 2-1-2 record and earned $224,500.
Uncle Vinny began his stud career in Florida in 2017 before moving to Pennsylvania for the 2020 season. He stands this year at Equistar for $2,500.
