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Impressive maiden winner Uncle Mo is getting all the talk going into Saturday's Champagne Stakes (gr. I) for 2-year-olds. Owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher hope to use the Champagne as a stepping stone to the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) on Nov. 6.

Repole went to $220,000 to secure the son of Indian Charlie (TrueNicks,SRO) at last year's Keeneland September sale. The buy looked quite clever as Uncle Mo rolled to a 14-length domination in his Aug. 28 debut.

Out of the Arch (TrueNicks,SRO) mare Playa Maya, Uncle Mo is bred on the In Excess/Kris S. cross that already has Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) winner Romance Is Diane to its credit.

Repole and Pletcher also have Hopeful (gr. I) runner-up Stay Thirsty in the barn who is likely to scratch from the Champagne and train up to the Juvenile. The Bernardini (TrueNicks,SRO) colt was a $500,000 purchase back in February, with Pletcher signing the ticket for Repole at Fasig-Tipton Calder. Repole was at the barn this week to visit Uncle Mo, seen below in a video from NYRA.

Speaking of the Champagne Stakes, remember the 1995 renewal? Future star sires Maria's Mon, Unbridled's Song (TrueNicks,SRO), and Hennessy all together in the same race! Perhaps it's a bit early to tout maiden-winning Uncle Mo as a stallion prospect, but we'll know a lot more in the coming weeks.

Filed under: Sires, Race Previews