Champion Uncle Mo’s first foal born at Justice Farm

Barbara D. Livingston

Uncle Mo's first foal was born on Jan. 4 at Justice Farm in Lexington.

Champion Uncle Mo was represented by his first foal on Jan. 4, a filly born at Justice Farm in Lexington, Ky.

The filly is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Erica's Melody, who has produced two winners from as many starters, including stakes-placed Jasmine's Melody. Erica's Melody is a half sister to stakes winners Reno Rumble, Rodman, and Beg Borrow N Steal; the latter is a stakes producer.

"[The foal is] a very nice, correct filly with plenty of leg and quality," Greg Justice of Justice Farm said. "She is of good size and was just what I was hoping for."

Erica's Melody is now booked to multiple Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty, who enters stud this spring. Like Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty was trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Repole Stables and now stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.

Uncle Mo, a 5-year-old Indian Charlie horse, was named champion 2-year-old male of 2010 when he went unbeaten in three starts, posting Grade 1 scores in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Champagne Stakes.

The following year, he won the Timely Writer Stakes and finished third in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes before an illness forced him to miss the spring classics. He returned to finish second by a nose in the Grade 1 King's Bishop Stakes before defeating older rivals in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap. He concluded his career with an unplaced outing in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Overall, he won five of eight career starts, earning $1,606,000.

Uncle Mo, who is out of the Arch mare Playa Maya, entered stud at Ashford for a fee of $35,000 in 2012. He will stand for the same fee this year.