Mo Forza Storms Home in City of Hope Mile
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Mo Forza wins the City of Hope Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park
It took Mo Forza six tries to reach the winner's circle for his maiden victory a year ago, but now that the 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo has become acquainted with it, he keeps coming back for more.
Bardy Farm's homebred Mo Forza, owned in partnership with OG Boss, stormed home a convincing winner Oct. 3 in the $201,000 City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park. It was the colt's sixth win from his last seven starts. His only loss since his maiden win was a ninth-place finish in this year's Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T).
Mo Forza, the 3-5 favorite in the field of seven older males, was ridden to a 1 3/4-length victory by jockey Flavien Prat. Finishing second was Sharp Samurai, who was followed by Bob and Jackie, 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Blitzkrieg, who set the pace while racing unchallenged through fractions of :22.58, :45.61, 1:08.76, and 1:20.53, finished fourth.
Mo Forza, trained by Peter Miller, raced in fifth position for six furlongs, until he unleashed a monster move in the stretch while four wide and then drew off impressively.
"I think he's getting more and more professional which is great," Prat said. "Today he showed up again. We can probably go further, but as of right now he's running pretty well, so I wouldn't change anything."
The final time for the mile was 1:32.09 on a course rated firm.
Mo Forza returned $3.20 on a $2 win ticket and elevated his earnings to $734,460, with a record of 6-3-1 from 12 starts.
The City of Hope Mile is the fifth graded stakes victory for Mo Forza, who won the Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2T) in his prior start. He also owns wins in the Hollywood Derby (G1T), Qatar Twilight Derby (G2T), and Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T).
He won the first race of his career in his sixth start by capturing a maiden special weight at one mile on the turf at Santa Anita Park Sept. 29, 2019.
Miller's assistant Ruben Alvarado said the City of Hope Mile win was very similar to Mo Forza's victory in the Del Mar Mile. And Alvarado reported the plan is for the colt to proceed to the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) at Keeneland Nov. 7.
"That's him. He showed that in his race at Del Mar. He relaxes early and then you saw the way he finished up," Alvarado said. "He ran today just like he did at Del Mar. We're very happy and we're looking forward to the Breeders' Cup."
Bred in Kentucky out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed, Mo Forza is his dam's first offspring. She produced an unnamed Graydar colt in 2017, a Munnings colt in 2019, and a Tapiture filly in May. She was bred back to Uncle Mo for 2021.