Uncle Mo Colt Rocks Fasig-Tipton at $1.6 Million
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The Uncle Mo colt consigned as Hip 73 in the ring at The Saratoga Sale
An Uncle Mo colt out of grade 1 winner Dame Dorothy lit up the bid board at $1.6 million during The Saratoga Sale, topping the opening Aug. 9 session of Fasig-Tipton's selected yearlings sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Bloodstock agent Jacob West signed the ticket for Robert and Lawana Low, who campaign the colt's graded stakes-winning half sister Spice Is Nice . The yearling, consigned by Stone Farm as Hip 73, will go on to be trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who also conditions the 4-year-old Spice Is Nice (by Curlin ).
"I thought he was obviously a standout. We own Spice Is Nice, we love her, we love the family," West said of the colt. "I had seen this horse about six months ago out at Stone and I had told Mr. and Mrs. Low about him. The second that he came up for auction—we knew he was in here in the catalog—we turned down the page on him and we're just excited to get him."
Both Spice Is Nice and Hip 73 were bred in Kentucky by celebrity chef Bobby Flay. They are the first and third foals produced from Flay's Bernardini mare Dame Dorothy, winner of the 2015 Humana Distaff (G1) and a former Pletcher trainee. West purchased Spice Is Nice for the Lows for $1.05 million from Stone Farm at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. On the track, Spice Is Nice was second in last year's Davona Dale Stakes (G2) and this year won the Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series Stakes (G3).
"He's got a lot more growing to do, and we hope he fills out into his frame, runs like his sister," said West. "We love his sister. She has a bright future ahead of her in her 4-year-old and 5-year-old years. We're hopeful that we just bought a good one."
Flay was in attendance to watch the yearling colt out of his prized mare stretch past six figures.
"My best racehorse ever," he said of Dame Dorothy. "It seems she's been passing down her talent to her progeny and Jacob has been an amazing supporter of Spice Is Nice and now he's got this Uncle Mo colt. I'm thrilled. I know he's going to be in great hands."
Dame Dorothy was a $390,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Flay in 2012. She won seven of 12 starts and earned $749,740, also picking up wins in the Turnback the Alarm Handicap (G3) and Bed o' Roses Handicap (G3).
Her two foals purchased by the Lows have brought a collective price of $2.65 million.
"I'm just going to tell Bobby he owes Mr. and Mrs. Low. He's going to have to name a restaurant after them now," West joked.