Uncle Mo Yearlings Lead Their Class on Keeneland Day 2

Within the span of an hour, two Uncle Mo colts sold Jan. 10 to become the highest-priced short yearlings during the second session of the Keeneland January Sale. The pinhooking partnership Castleton Way, which is headed by Taylor Made Sales' Thoroughbred adviser Marshall Taylor, brought the hammer down at $340,000 to secure Hip 763 toward the end of Day 2. "He had a great walk; he's a beautiful physical. He's a late May foal and I thought he'd keep improving and keep getting better," Taylor said. "He just looked like a horse with a lot of upside to him." The colt was consigned by Lane's End for White Birch Farm, which bred the yearling in Kentucky out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Canteen. He is the second foal out of his dam, who also has a 2-year-old Practical Joke filly and was bred back to Quality Road for 2023. The partnership will likely point the colt toward The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., or return him to Keeneland in September, depending on how he matures. Taylor said the purchase was his most expensive of the sale thus far but that stretching was necessary due to the strength of the market. "You've got to hope the market and the economy stay good. I think there is more demand for yearlings and racehorses than for mares. This was the highest price we've paid," Taylor said. "In this market, if you're going to (succeed), you've got to be aggressive. I felt today was really strong. You had better be bidding if you wanted to get anything bought, for the good stuff." Not far behind Taylor's purchase was the partnership of Terry Green's Jackpot Farm and Corinne and Bill Heiligbrodt, who swept in to secure Hip 699 for $335,000—with hopes of recreating the success of their partnership behind stakes winner Gulfport. Along with Whispering Oaks Farm, the partners campaigned the 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo to a victory in the Bashford Manor Stakes. Coolmore Stud joined the party for runner-up efforts in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and Hopeful Stakes (G1), and a third-place finish in the Champagne Stakes (G1), all in 2022. Agent Bobby Powell signed the ticket for the buyers and said the group is not sure whether it will race or resell the colt, which was consigned by Eaton Sales for Newstead Corp. "The draw is, let's see if we can find another Gulfport. There are options on the table for what we do with him...We'll let the horse grow up and time (will) tell us what to do," Powell said. "He was the right type for us. I looked at him at the barn and I liked his size, I liked his attitude, and his presence. The vet work was clean. They are looking forward to having some fun with him. Those guys have a pretty good partnership going." Powell said the group did not come in looking to make purchases, but were too drawn by the colt's physical to pass him up. Reiley McDonald, managing partner at Eaton, echoed a similar sentiment. "He is a very tidy version of Uncle Mo and completely clean on the vet report, and we weren't surprised at all at that price," McDonald said. "You buy yearlings like that (later in the year) for $500,000 to $600,000. I think they got a good buy. We thought he was really nice right now, so we put him in the January sale where he could stand out." The colt was bred in Kentucky out of the Yankee Victor mare Victory Party, who has five winners from six foals to race, including 2019 Tab Kewney Stakes (G2) runner-up Victory Kingdom (AUS). She was bred back to Munnings for 2023.