Granpollo Stables’ Grand Mo the First will be pre-entered in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park following the son of Uncle Mo ‘s late-closing third in the Oct. 8 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) at the Southern California track.
“I was talking with the owner today and the owner will pre-enter for the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said. “Also, there is a stake for 2-year-olds at one mile the same day.”
That other stakes race is the $150,000 Golden Mile Stakes.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf tends to draw large fields and is often oversubscribed. The pre-entries deadline for the Nov. 3-4 Breeders’ Cup races is Oct. 23.
Grand Mo the First lost for the first time in three starts while stretching out around two turns for the first time in the Zuma Beach. Following a slow start, he trailed the eight-horse field before launching a four-wide sweep on the far turn to enter contention at the top of the stretch, where his rally felt short of catching the Michael McCarthy-trained duo of Endlessly , the 4-5 favorite, and Ngannou .
“I was happy with his race first time around two turns,” Barboza said.
Grand Mo the First, who finished 3 1/2 lengths behind undefeated Endlessly, had previously won his first two career starts over Gulfstream Park‘s Tapeta course, both in off-the-pace style under Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard in the Zuma Beach.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
