Uncle Mo Continues Exhibiting Exceptional Consistency

Progeny earnings don't always tell the full story on leading sires lists, and Uncle Mo is a good example. Ashford Stud's son of Indian Charlie ranks 13th year to date by earnings but he also just landed his 100th black-type winner worldwide, which puts him among the top 10 North American sires by this important metric.

Uncle Mo entered stud in 2012 and since then he's been one of the most reliable sires in North America. He was the top first-crop sire in 2015 and the top second-crop sire the following year. In that same second-crop year of 2016, Uncle Mo was third on the General Leading Sires list by progeny earnings thanks to his prolific son Nyquist , who was the champion 2-year-old colt in 2015 before winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2016.

After debuting on the General Sires list as a second-crop sire, he was 17th in progeny earnings the following year, which was his lowest ranking at the end of any given year. Subsequent years saw him ranked 13th, 11th, third, eighth, sixth, and most recently fourth. Uncle Mo is the 21st highest-ranked North American sire by progeny earnings lifetime (including dead and pensioned sires) and 10th among active sires. 

Uncle Mo made his debut in the Top 25 two weeks ago at No. 19, but in that time he has moved upward. Following Crystal Quest's win March 24 in the Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, the sire jumped six spots to No. 13. Additionally, Crystal Quest's triumph in the 1 1/16-mile race gave Uncle Mo his 100th black-type stakes winner.

Crystal Quest's victory makes his sire the eighth-leading active sire in North America by career stakes winners, but it also should be noted that on the BloodHorse sires lists Uncle Mo is credited with 98 stakes winners. The sires lists apply only to Northern Hemisphere racing, and Uncle Mo has sired Australian group 2 winner Man From Uncle and listed winner Moqueen.

Key for Uncle Mo's chance to have at least another top-10 finish on the General Sires list is going to be the continued success of this year's graded-placed runners.

Millionaire Adare Manor, who finished second in the Beholder Mile (G1) and has eight firsts or seconds in graded company, is a 5-year-old mare who has rarely lost top form in her career. Grand Mo the First, a 3-year-old sitting on the outside of the Kentucky Derby picture, can change that March 30 in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. He has a pair of thirds in graded races, most recently the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). And then there is Mouffy, who at 5 has posted back-to-back second-place finishes—Megahertz Stakes (G3T) and Buena Vista Stakes (G2T)—to start the year. These runners seem poised for greater earnings later in 2024.

Uncle Mo stands for $150,000 at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.

Elsewhere in the Top 25, Street Sense  climbed four spots to No. 21 thanks to First Mission's win March 23 in the $600,000 Essex Handicap. Constitution , who was No. 10 two weeks ago, benefited from Catching Freedom capturing the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Webslinger finishing third in the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) on Saturday to climb to No. 7. Not This Time  moved from No. 17 to No. 14 after his 6-year-old daughter Dana's Beauty won the Latonia Stakes and Gigante took second in the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes.

The top three spots remained unchanged with Mineshaft , Quality Road , and Into Mischief . But Practical Joke  swapped places with Always Dreaming to round out the top 5. 

All but one of the sires in the Top 25 two weeks ago maintained a position this week. Tapiture  re-entered the ranking at No. 25 and Good Magic  is now on the outside looking in.