Mo Donegal

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Owner: Donegal Racing & Repole Stable Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Best Beyer: 96 Record: 6-3-0-2

STRENGTHS: Mo Donegal enters the Belmont as a leading contender based on class, speed, and current form, including a fifthplace finish in the Kentucky Derby that was better than it looks.

Two-time Grade 2 winner, Mo Donegal had bad luck from the rail in the Derby. He broke slowly, got shuffled, and found himself positioned next to last. He produced a sustained rally, waited briefly behind traffic on the far turn, and rallied wide into the lane. He finished fairly well and missed by less than four lengths. Even taking into account the fast-slow race flow that flattered his rally, Mo Donegal still ran well.

His speed figures continue to improve. He has never gone backward on Beyer Figures; he paired 96s in his Wood Memorial win and Derby fifth. Having started only six times, Mo Donegal is likely to continue to improve. Since 2000, nine Belmont winners finished off the board in the Derby and skipped the Preakness (Commendable, Birdstone, Jazil, Summer Bird, Union Rags, Palace Malice, Creator, Tapwrit, and Essential Quality). The same pattern applies to Mo Donegal.

WEAKNESSES: Mo Donegal often breaks slowly, which cost him position from the rail in the Derby. If he breaks slowly in the Belmont, facing a smaller field at a longer distance, it would not be good. But it would be less compromising than last out.

BETTING VALUE: This part is tricky. Although he ranks among the Belmont choices based on key factors, Mo Donegal may be an underlay. Fair value is no less than 7-2, his program price is 5-2.

– Brad Free

SIRE: Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old Uncle Mo set what was an earnings record with his freshman crop in 2015, led by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner and champion Nyquist, who went on to win the 2016 Kentucky Derby. Uncle Mo is also the sire of Grade 1-winning routers Bast, Gomo, Mo Forza, Mo Town, Outwork, and Unbridled Mo. However, his offspring are typically good gate horses with plenty of speed, and often show his high cruising speed, as demonstrated by his two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Golden Pal.

DAM: Callingmissbrown, by the A.P. Indy horse Pulpit, was a late bloomer who did not start until 4, when she won two sprints. Besides Wood Memorial winner Mo Donegal, her only other starter is Bluegrass Belle, twice a winner at 1 1/16 miles on synthetic.

Callingmissbrown is out of Island Sand, who won the Grade 1 Acorn going a one-turn mile at Belmont and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles. She is the dam of stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed steeplechaser Martini Brother, and of Maya Malibu, multiple Grade 1-placed around one turn as a juvenile. It is the extended family of Queen’s Plate winner Niigon.

OUTLOOK: There is classic ability on both sides of this page, with Uncle Mo, already an accomplished sire at a young age, taking point. A classy steeplechaser in the immediate family is often a positive indicator of stamina.

– Nicole Russo