Uncle Mo Colt Rapture Captures Oaklawn Maiden, Becomes a ‘Rising Star’

[Wandering Eyes]

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s RAPTURE (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Positively Royal, by Bernardini) had to be used some early on to gain a forward position from an awkward draw, but settled nicely from there just off the speed and responded when asked to finish off his race to graduate by the better part of seven lengths in his two-turn debut Saturday at Oaklawn Park to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors. A debut second to subsequent strong-figure Tampa allowance winner Vassimo (Nyquist) on his one-mile unveiling at Gulfstream Park Dec. 14 while finishing a baker's dozen ahead of the third-placed runner on that occasion, the $300,000 Keeneland September yearling jumped here as the 9-10 chalk and was ridden positively by Eclipse Award winner Flavien Prat, but despite showing that good early speed, was no better than three deep at the first corner. Clearly second and doing the chasing turning up the backstretch, the bay colt was ridden along just a bit a half-mile out just to hold his position and avoid being sandwiched between rivals and he was under more vigorous urging to come after the pacesetter midway on the turn. Kept after by Prat, Rapture was back into the bit at the top of the lane and responded to a left-handed whip inside the final eighth of a mile to win clear. The winner is bred on the same cross responsible for GISW Mo Town and other graded winners Modernist and Mopotism, the latter named the dam of GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and top Classics candidate Journalism (Curlin). Sales history: $300,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP. O-WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc & Siena Farm LLC; B-Bill & Terry Mathis MST LLC & Rochelle Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Brad Cox.

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