Mo Town's career ends with foreleg injury

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Grade 1 winner Mo Town suffered an injury while training last week and has been retired, trainer Tony Dutrow said Monday.

Mo Town, who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last November at Del Mar, was diagnosed with a torn suspensory ligament in his left foreleg following a routine gallop over the Belmont main track.

“It’s a loss to all involved and to the sport that we didn’t get to see a proven horse race any further,” said Dutrow, whose Team D Stable owned Mo Town with the Coolmore connections of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

Mo Town, a son of Uncle Mo, won the Grade 2 Remsen on dirt in fall 2016. After losing his next four starts, all on dirt, Mo Town was moved to the turf in October, winning an allowance race at Belmont. That was his springboard to success in the Hollywood Derby, a race he won by a length.

In one start this year, Mo Town finished third in the Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. Dutrow was using that race as a stepping-stone to Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War.

Mo Town retires with a record of 4-1-2 from 10 starts and earnings of $519,600. He will be shipped this week to Ashford Stud in Kentucky, where he will stand stud next year.

“I have to be happy at this point with what he accomplished and I have to be happy the horse is fine,” Dutrow said.

Dutrow also reported that Get Jets, a 5-year-old New York-bred stakes-winning son of Scat Daddy, has also been retired.

“I can’t get him to train,” Dutrow said. “I’m trying to find a stallion home for him.”

Like Mo Town, Get Jets won stakes on turf and dirt. At 2, he won the Sleepy Hollow on dirt. Last year, Get Jets won the Ashley T. Cole and West Point on turf.

Get Jets retires with a record of 6-3-1 from 12 starts and earned $545,850.