Grade 2 winner Mopotism, the dam of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism, was euthanized July 15 in Lexington due to complications from colic.
The 11-year-old Uncle Mo mare was the prize jewel of Chilean-based Don Alberto Corp.'s 100-plus broodmare band at its Lexington farm.
"As soon as you think something really good is going on, God and horses have a way of bringing you back down to earth and letting you know you're not in charge," Don Alberto chief operating officer Reed Ringler said. "It's a tough day for everybody at the farm, and I know how deeply Carlos (Heller) and Ms. Liliana (Solari) appreciated this mare."
Solari and her son Carlos Heller are the principals of Don Alberto.
"She was the kind of mare that has a personality that endears herself to you. Everyone who got to be around her will remember her big brown, amber eyes that remind you of Seattle Slew," Ringler said. "She had big ears and was so smart and easy to be around. She was made of something different—very proud. She had the look of eagles, all the time."
Mopotism was bred in Kentucky by Frank T. Batten, out of the unplaced Bernardini mare Peppy Rafaela, a half to 2006 Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) winner Songster. Mopotism was sold as a weanling, yearling, and 2-year-old, eventually purchased by bloodstock agent Dennis O'Neill for $300,000 at Fasig-Tipton's The Florida Sale in 2016.
Owned by Reddam Racing and trained by Doug O'Neill, Mopotism made 26 starts—22 of them graded stakes and 14 grade 1 events. She won three times, including the 2017 Island Fashion Stakes at Sunland Park and the 2018 La Canada Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park, while placing in another 10 graded races.
Mopotism retired in 2019 with earnings of $876,090 and was entered in Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, where Don Alberto purchased her for $1,050,000.
"Carlos liked (Mopotism) because she used to run against his champion mare Unique Bella quite often. That's why he went after her," Ringler said.
Mopotism's first foal was the Curlin colt Journalism, now one of the leading 3-year-olds of 2025.
"You never know what you will get with a first foal, and here came this 150-pound Curlin colt with big ears and a big appetite just like her," Ringler said. "And now she has replicated it three more years in a row with beautiful foals with big ears, bright eyes, and great appetites."
Mopotism's foal of 2023, a colt by Tapit , sold for $1.5 million to Flying Dutchmen at last year's The Saratoga Sale. He is named Nitro Tap and is in training with Brian Lynch.
Mopotism's foal of 2024, an Into Mischief filly, is entered in this year's Saratoga sale, and she also had a filly by Flightline this year. Ringler said final plans for those fillies, which he described as spectacular, have not been determined in the wake of their dam's passing.
Don Alberto stayed in on Journalism, who finished second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), won the Preakness, and ran second in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He will be a heavy favorite in the July 19 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.
"Carlos is coming out for the race, and Journalism is training so good, it would be phenomenal if he could pull this off. We'll all be thinking about 'Mopo' on Saturday," Ringler said. "Journalism is a lot like her, in that she was a warrior on the track. He appears to be made of iron too.
"Her legacy is going to live on."
