Mo Mosa Upsets C Z Rocket in Steve Sexton Mile

Perry and Denise Martin's Mo Mosa  rolled past favored C Z Rocket  for a 3 1/2-length victory in the $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) May 31 at Lone Star Park, pulling off a 23-1 upset in the process.

The win was the first graded tally for the 4-year-old Uncle Mo   colt, who collected his first black-type score one start earlier in the April 24 Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes at Fonner Park. 

Hunka Burning Love  was first out of the gate and grabbed the lead as second choice Warrior's Charge  was away last after a slow start. C Z Rocket pressed the pace in second as Hunka Burning Love opened with a quarter-mile in :24.70 and the half in :47.83. Mo Mosa, ridden by Ramon Vazquez, was only a half-length behind C Z Rocket while settled third.

C Z Rocket poked his head in front while rounding into the stretch after six furlongs went in 1:11.55. He came in toward Hunka Burning Love and drifted in past the three-sixteenths pole. Hunka Burning Love had to check in the stretch. Mo Mosa, meanwhile, was moving best of all on the outside and pulled clear of his rivals to finish in a final time of 1:37.15 on the sloppy (sealed) track. 

Silver Prospector , who raced fourth through most of the race, finished third a half-length behind C Z Rocket. Hunka Burning Love was another neck back in fourth. Sheriff Brown , Warrior's Charge, and Harvey Wallbanger  completed the order of finish.

By My Standards  was scratched with an eye on the June 5 Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park, a race that awards the winner a berth in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Trained by Mike Maker through all 16 of his starts, Mo Mosa has a 4-4-3 record and has earned $453,875.

Mo Mosa is a Kentucky homebred for the Martins, who were partners in two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome  . The bay colt is the second foal out of the Eskendereya  mare Roughing, a half sister to grade 1 winner Diplomat Lady  and grade 2 winner Dream Play . Perry Martin bought Roughing for $500,000 out of the Paramount Sales consignment to the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale while she was carrying Mo Mosa. Roughing produced a California Chrome colt in 2020 and foaled a Bernardini   filly in Feb. 26. 

Warrant Rallies to Texas Derby Score

Kentucky raider Warrant  got the job done in the $300,000 Texas Derby for Twin Creek Racing Stables, circling six wide and closing full of run on the outside under Joel Rosario. The 3-year-old Constitution   colt galloped past Mr. Wireless  to win the 1 1/16-mile event by three-quarters of a length, finishing in 1:45.03 on a sloppy (sealed) track. Rightandjust  was third.

Warrant tracked a pace set by Dreamer's Disease , who clicked off fractions of :23.48, :47.15, and 1:11.41 before weakening in the final eighth. Get Her Number  and Florent Geroux clipped heels with Super Stock  under Ricardo Santana Jr. on the first turn, then was eased and walked off. Geroux claimed foul against Santana, but the stewards allowed the results to stand. Super Stock finished fourth of 10 in his first start since finishing 16th in the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Trained by Brad Cox, Warrant won his first black-type event off a runner-up finish to Fulsome  in the May 1 Oaklawn Stakes at Oaklawn Park. This was his first score off a maiden-breaking win at second asking Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He improved his earnings to $294,700 and has a 2-2-1 record from five starts.

Warrant was bred in Kentucky by Twin Creeks Farm out of the First Samurai   mare Whisper Number, who also produced grade 2 winner Ms Locust Point , an earner of more than $600,000. The mare has a 2-year-old full brother to Warrant named War Room, a yearling colt by Good Magic  , and was reported bred to Constitution for 2021.

Laura's Light Powers Home in Ouija Board

Gary Barber's grade 2 winner Laura's Light  made easy work of a small field in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff Stakes, drawing off under Florent Geroux to a 4 3/4-length score despite a change from her preferred surface.

Originally scheduled for one mile on the turf, the Ouija Board was moved to the same distance on a sloppy (sealed) track. Nevertheless, the 4-year-old Constitution filly put in a winning run to register her second consecutive score for trainer Peter Miller. It was her first start on dirt; while nine of her starts have come on turf, she broke her maiden on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields in 2019 and was fourth in the 2020 Maxim Crane Works Bourbonette Oaks on a synthetic track at Turfway Park.

Raven's Cry  set the early pace, posting splits of :24.14 and :47.47, but Laura's Light soon took over to run three-quarters in 1:11.78 en route to a final time of 1:38.07. The frontrunner held for second, while Curlin's Journey  finished third.

Bred in Kentucky by Golden Pedigree out of the Muqtarib mare Light of a Star, Laura's Light was a $25,000 RNA from Hidden Brook's consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She was purchased as a weanling for $95,000 from Select Sales' consignment to the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, agent. She improved her earnings to $471,770, with seven wins and a second from 12 starts.

Last year Laura's Light won the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar and the Honeymoon Stakes (G3T) and Sweet Life Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. She came off a May 2 allowance-level victory at Santa Anita to win the Ouija Board.

Light of a Star has a 3-year-old Mineshaft   colt named Absolute Chaos  who has placed, and an unraced 2-year-old colt by Cairo Prince   named Play Action Pass. Five of her six starters have been winners. She delivered a full brother to Laura's Light April 1.

Video: Steve Sexton Mile S. (G3)

Video: Texas Derby (BT)

Video: Ouija Board Distaff S. (BT)