Mo Forza fires big off 10-month layoff to repeat in Del Mar Mile
DEL MAR, Calif. – There was unfinished business when Mo Forza went to the sidelines last year, as he was marching toward a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He got back to business on Saturday at Del Mar, and showed he means business.
In his first start in more than 10 months, Mo Forza overcame a slow pace and ran down the high-class Smooth Like Strait in a blistering final quarter-mile to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Mile for the second straight year. That puts him in position to be a top contender in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, on the same course and distance as the Del Mar Mile, on Nov. 6.
It’s a day-to-day proposition, though, with Mo Forza, who needs to be trained deftly, as he demands work that gets him fit while his connections are mindful of his propensity for soft-tissue injuries. Peter Miller, entrusted by the late trainer Barry Abrams – who bred and whose estate co-owns Mo Forza – to train Mo Forza, has to manage that high-wire act like a Wallenda.
Miller wasn’t confident Mo Forza was fully cranked for his return, but Mo Forza was up to the task. Fourth of five while barn mate Neptune’s Storm set a soft pace of 23.69 seconds for the quarter, 48.52 seconds for the half, and 1:12.17 for six furlongs, he ran down Smooth Like Strait in the waning yards under Flavien Prat to prevail by a head in 1:35.03 for one mile on firm turf.
The final quarter was run in less than 23 seconds.
“They smoked home,” Miller said.
Mo Forza, sent off the favorite, paid $4.20.
Smooth Like Strait, firing his best shot as usual, finished one length in front of another top miler, Hit the Road.
Umberto Rispoli, who rode Smooth Like Strait, said having to give four pounds (126-122) to Mo Forza, similar to the spread (125-121) when he was second to United in last month’s Grade 2 Eddie Read, was significant.
“It made the difference,” Rispoli said. “Those are both good horses. At the Breeders’ Cup it’s level weights. This is the most-consistent horse I’ve ever ridden.”
Neptune’s Storm faded to fourth, and Count Again trailed throughout. Next Shares was scratched earlier in the day, leaving a field of five.
“I hadn’t really tightened the screws. I didn’t want to hurt him training,” said Miller, who keeps Mo Forza at San Luis Rey Downs. “They were walking. He flew home. I couldn’t be more proud of the crew.”
Starting with a win against maidens in his sixth start, Mo Forza has now won seven of his last eight starts, the lone loss coming when stretched out to 1 3/16 miles and leaving the state for the only time for the 2020 Pegasus Turf at Gulfstream. After that setback in January 2020, he was off for nearly seven months before winning the Del Mar Mile last year, then he captured the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita, like the Del Mar Mile a Grade 2 race. After that, though, he was sidelined.
Miller said there was brief discussion regarding retiring the son of Uncle Mo, but that was overcome by a desire of the connections – Dyan Abrams, Barry’s widow, and Onofrio Pecoraro’s OG Boss – to try and make another bid at the Breeders’ Cup Mile this year at age 5.
“We really wanted to run in the Breeders’ Cup. It didn’t happen. Hopefully this time. But we’re not there,” Miller said, mindful of Mo Forza’s history.
Mo Forza earned $180,000 for the victory, bringing his earnings to $914,460. He is 7 for 13, and in six starts at Del Mar has three wins and two seconds.
Miller said he was inclined to run once more before the Breeders’ Cup, again in the City of Hope Mile, on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.
“He’s a big, heavy horse who would probably benefit from another race,” he said.