Saratoga: Who's the next Uncle Mo?

For last year’s juvenile thoroughbreds, Saratoga Race Course was the ideal place to debut.

Numerous 2-year-olds who launched their careers at Saratoga in 2010 have gone on to win graded stakes, with three winning Grade 1 events, two garnering Breeders’ Cup victories, and one earning Eclipse honors, all in a 10-month span.

The list is topped by Uncle Mo, who debuted a 14 ¼-length winner on Travers Day before going on to romp in the Grade 1 Champagne and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and be named the Champion Two-Year-Old Colt for 2010.

The top two finishers of the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, More Than Real and Winter Memories, also made winning debuts at Saratoga Race Course. In addition to her runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup, Winter Memories has won the Grade 2 Sands Point, Grade 3 Miss Grillo, and Grade 3 Appalachian.

Finishing fourth to Winter Memories in that maiden event was Buster’s Ready, who won this year’s Grade 1 Mother Goose after finishing third in the Grade 1 TVG Acorn.

J. B.’s Thunder won at first-asking at Saratoga, and one start later captured the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity.

Astrology finished third at Saratoga in his debut, broke his maiden on closing weekend, and went on to win the Grade 3 Iroquois and finish third in the Grade 1 Preakness.

Boasting the strongest 2-year-old program in the nation, Saratoga Race Course will continue its tradition of showcasing tomorrow’s stars. This year’s meet, which runs from July 22 through Labor Day, September 5, will feature six graded stakes for juveniles: the Grade 3 Schuylerville for fillies on opening day, the Grade 2 Sanford on July 24, the Grade 2 Adirondack for fillies on August 14, the Grade 2 Three Chimneys Saratoga Special on August 15, the Grade 1 Spinaway for fillies on September 4, and the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful on closing day.

Notable horses who debuted as 2-year-olds during the 2010 Saratoga Race Course meet: