Scratch of Uncle Mo made official
 

I love dialed in. Im concerned about Mo. Im trying to build a fri too the derby double and pk3. If they scratch Mo, will you get the favorite or will it give you a no bet? Im assuming you will get the favorite but I still want to use Mo because like a fool I belive them when they say if hes 100% its a go. The way he looked om the track thur he looked ready.

There is a 9:30a press briefing Friday, and the widespread expectation is that Uncle Mo will be scratched at that point. I'll find out this morning about rules regarding refunds versus 'post time favorite' on the two day wagers should Mo only scratch Saturday.

UPDATE: Scratch made official. Briefing and Q&A at 8:45.

all I saw was the tape of him galloping on the track tur.He looked to be full of piiiiiisss snd viniger but a gallop and a solid work are very different. What as your opinion steve?

He absolutely looked good yesterday and appeared eager to do more. That shouldn't be surprising given that he basically wasn't allowed to do anything for two days. But the problem has been the up/down, in/out nature of his 'well being'. After appearing to be gaining weight two weeks ago, the workout last week knocked him back and he started going the other way. If he's not right, you can't run a horse that has this much ability in a race that is so taxing. It's not fair to the horse or anyone else.

LOL, someone at Thoroughbred Times took a photo of the chimney over Pletcher's barn with "White smoke means Repole has reached a decision on whether Uncle Mo will run"

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=1&theater

Sorry to hear that.

They should have done the right thing and took him out of consideration before the entries were taken. Hopefully the 8:45 briefing will bring an end to the daily Repole dog and pony show.

Steve hit the nail on the head.

I have three riding horses and don't make a living in the horse business but I do have an opinion as a horse owner.

Based on what Mo has been through with surgery and the GI infection, I don't see how he can be at 100% just yet. It's going to take a few months to get ALL of his strength back and really be back to being himself. He can look like he's at 100% but it's a stamina issue at this point. Honestly, if one of my horses had Mo's rap sheet I would be letting him rest in the pasture for several months.

Mo looks good and he's galloping around and appears to be a hand full because he wants to run, he's a Thoroughbred. He's clearly not ready yet to run the race of his life tomorrow. If I need 3 vets to determine if my horse is sound and ready to go, Derby or no Derby, something is up.

** Glad to see him scratch. Hopefully we will see Mo running and winning another day**

Kind of unfair of Todd and Repole to enter given it was a virtual certainty he was going to scratch. Not that I care about Sway Away but he should have had the shot to run.

And I would LOVE to see him in the Preakness. That race is tailor-made for him.

Forget the specific horse that was excluded... Does anyone care to do the financials of what cutting the field to 19 cost the industry in lost handle?

An outrageously selfish act from someone professing to 'love the game'.

So is he out or isn't he....???????

Yeah.. Scratched.

I hope no one attends the press conference.

Thanks Steve. I agree, it's a piss poor move by all of the connections. I can now understand why people are not a fan of Repole. It appears he has tried and succeeded to a point, to make Derby Week about him.

What is the "official" reason why there isn't an "AE" list for the derby again Steve?

My good friend Ed DeRosa who follows these things closely just posted that from 2006-2010, the lowest handle was 2009 (the only year there was 19 instead of 20, because of the scratch of IWR). At least this time it was before the wagering pools opened which means no refunds- but I think the number is at LEAST 5%. Additionally, this will be the first year with no NYCOTB, which was worth $5MM in handle on the race itself and $10MM throughout the day- how much of that money is made up on track at Belmont or through ADW's? Definitely not 100% of it. Wouldn't be surprised if the number is somewhat disappointing this year.

:D

Pletcher now saying "critics of Repole for entering and excluding Sway Away should take it up with Churchill or the Kentucky Racing Commission, not Team Mo." LOL. I'd love to know why people flock to give this guy horses. He's Teflon, deflecting everything. I suppose Life At Ten wasn't his fault, either.

Difficult executionally with tote and such. We'll discuss the particulars next week undoubtedly.

From a handicappin perspective, I'm just glad he's officially out. Because if he ran, I felt he had to be used, even with all the speculation that surrounded him. One less (good) horse to have to worry about.

Is there another race going where a horse can't get in off the AE list when there's a scratch 30+ hours from post?

I was just going to ask about that. Over here we have three or four reserves for most big races that can get into the field if there's a scratch. I like that idea.

Because of advance wagering there are no AE's. Obviously, if there was an AE, Sway Away could have drawn in this am when Mo was announced as out, but once betting has opened today at about 10am, there would be no way to add to the field.

I think the whole circus with Mo is a mess.

I was talking to an ex Racing Secretary at CD this morning and asked him that question. He gave two answers:

1) The betting and wagering would be compromised with AEs...In Uncle Mo's case he was scratched "relatively" early, but if there was a race day scratch, it would wreck the pools.

2) The second reason is more interesting....It has to do with the merchandising and all the glasses, T Shirts and Sweat shirts that are printed with the starting field listed. Those would become irrelevant....or a collector's item I guess?

I just thought he was trying to keep the future bettors alive..

This whole circus only makes one appreciate more how Bill Mott/Live Oak dealt with To Honor and Serve's slight suspensory issue. In other hands, he'd probably be on his way to the breeding shed by now.

That is a spot on assessment. The racing community and nation for that matter has had it's proverbial chain jerked for 5 months! As reported by some, this horse had a "procedure" late last year. The connections did a stellar job of concealing this from the press. In this day in age EVERYTHING eventually comes to light. It's the world we live in.

I don't know Mr. Repole. I certainly respect his enthusiasm and love for our game. We should have 20 more guys with deep pockets like himself enter the game. Hopefully there is a lesson learned given the selfish way his team operated throughout the derby trail.

The press found out; they simply refused to acknowledge it on the record.

I tried to tell you after the Wood. It's all about him.

But how wil Repole make him the favorite now?

You say this like it's not like that with every owner in the sport.

B/c its not

He will make Stay Thirsty the favorite??

You can't defend him after this charade. No way. Take the blinkers off.

Find me a bazillionaire without an ego, particularly one involved in competitive enterprises.

Not all horse owners are that rich. And many rich people are not assholes.

The whole Uncle Mo Derby leadup has obviously been a fiasco, but it wasn't like Repole was acting alone in this situation. Pletcher has to be assigned some blame as well, no?

And I still think Repole is good for the sport, and hope he sticks around for a long while and spends his money on lots of pretty ponies.

He thinks he's above the game. Didn't this week prove that? What's endearing about that?

"His absence reduces the field for the 137th Derby to 19 horses. Dialed In is the 4-2 early favorite. In 2009, favorite I Want Revenge was scratched on the morning of the Derby with a career-ending leg injury."

From CBS Sports. Does any portion of the media do even a minute of homework/fact checking before they release something?