Uncle Mo can steal spotlight

Associated Press

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.

The real drama Saturday will unfold about 30 minutes before the Travers Stakes.

That’s when Uncle Mo returns to the races for the first time since being sidelined with a life-threatening liver disease more than four months ago.

The early Kentucky Derby favorite before his illness, Uncle Mo was made the 9-5 favorite in the $250,000 King’s Bishop, a seven-furlong Grade 1 race against seven rivals, among them the highly regarded sprinter Flashpoint.

And even if the Travers at Saratoga Race Course features Preakness winner Shackleford, Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice, Haskell winner Coil and 5-2 favorite Stay Thirsty, it will still be the Uncle Mo show.

“For him to be coming back is amazing,” says owner Mike Repole, who owns Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty. “And to think, a short time ago we were not only worried about whether he’d race again, but whether he’d survive.”

Uncle Mo’s comeback arrives almost a year to the day since his sensational debut, a dazzling 14 1/4-length romp at the Spa that all but upstaged Afleet Express’ win in the Travers a few races later.

None of the drama has been lost on Todd Pletcher, who trains both morning-line favorites for Repole.

“It’s pretty rare that you’re going to have two 3-year-olds running in races where potentially the $1 million, Grade 1 focal race of the entire meet in some ways is going to be less popular than the one right before it,” said Pletcher. “He’s training really well. We’re really pleased with everything that’s happened since we’ve come up here [in July]. We’ve gotten to this point exactly like we hoped we could have.”

That would be six timed workouts, including a final five-furlong breeze in 59.90 seconds Sunday.

Travers Day can’t come soon enough for Repole, who made millions selling Glaceau, the maker of Vitaminwater and Smartwater, to Coca Cola for $4.1 billion.