Grade 1-winning millionaire Mo Forza, the highest earner by leading sire Uncle Mo standing outside Kentucky, was represented by his firstborn foal on Jan. 10: a filly out of the multiple winner Californiasunshine who was foaled in California.
Owned by Alice Bamford, Californiasunshine was the first of 99 mares bred to the Rancho San Miguel stallion in 2022. Her 2023 Mo Forza filly is the fourth offspring for the 10-year-old Lucky Pulpit mare, whose first foal, Sweet California, was a Santa Anita Park winner at 2 last year.
“She is quite a character already, thrilling everyone with her looks,” Bamford said of the Mo Forza filly, whom she owns with her co-breeder, Ann Eysenring. “In addition to being correct, she is a beautiful mover and a very good reason for her mama to return to Mo Forza next year.”
Mo Forza won seven graded stakes races in Southern California from 2019 through 2021, highlighted by the 2019 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. Produced by a daughter of perennial leading California sire Unusual Heat, the 7-year-old stallion earned $1,034,460 from 15 starts overall as one of North America's top turf milers of his generation.
Owned by Kentucky-based industry leader Taylor Made Farm and San Diego horseman Onofrio Pecoraro and backed by a large syndicate, Mo Forza entered stud last year as the most successful son of champion juvenile and emerging sire-of-sires Uncle Mo on the West Coast. As such, he was strongly supported by breeders in his inaugural season, during which he covered more mares than any other California-based first-year stallion, and ranked second overall among all statewide stallions by number of mares bred in 2022.
“We are so pleased and grateful for the outstanding support West Coast breeders have already shown to Mo Forza,” said Rancho San Miguel owner Tom Clark. “But more important than sheer quantity of breedings is the quality of resulting foals. If this first baby of his is any indication, we are just saddling up for what will surely be an incredible ride with this classy son of Uncle Mo.”
Mo Forza stands for a $9,000 fee in 2023, with live foal guarantee.
He will be available for inspection during Rancho San Miguel's 2023 Open House & Stallion Show on January 21. Reservations are encouraged for this upcoming, free event at (805) 467-3847 or info@ranchosanmiguel.net.
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