Fierceness, Just F Y I Named Juvenile Champions

Breeders' Cup-winning 2-year-olds Fierceness (City of Light) and Just F Y I (Justify) have been named Eclipse champion 2-year-old colt and filly, respectively.

Repole Stable's homebred Fierceness was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 11 1/4-length debut victory at Saratoga Aug. 25. Following a dull effort in the GI Champagne S., the bay colt was let go at 16-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but he sealed the championship with an easy 6 1/4-length win.

Fierceness became the second straight juvenile champion for Mike Repole, who accepted an Eclipse statue for Forte (Violence) last year.

George Krikorian's homebred Just F Y I capped an unbeaten three-for-three juvenile campaign with her win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The bay filly broke her maiden at Saratoga Aug. 26. She captured the Oct. 7 GI Frizette S. before just holding off Jody's Pride (American Pharoah) to win on championship weekend in November at Santa Anita.

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Fierceness Fires Bullet For Holy Bull

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), who is expected to be named champion of his generation at Thursday's Eclipse Awards ceremonies, worked five furlongs in :59.48 Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs, the fastest of 12 moves at the distance. It was the sixth timed workout for Fierceness since taking the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 3. The homebred is expected to make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 3.

“Fierceness has trained super. He's such a terrific workhorse. He does everything effortlessly,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I think with Fierceness we feel like the quality's there [and] the talent's there. Like everyone else we just need to keep moving forward and stay healthy.”

Tentative plans call for Fierceness to use the Holy Bull as a steppingstone to the GI Florida Derby Mar. 31. Fellow 'Rising Star' Forte (Violence) won last year's GII Fountain of Youth S. and Florida Derby.

“So far it's worked out really well,” Pletcher said. “We didn't have to let him down too much after the Breeders' Cup [and] kept him ticking over with the Holy Bull in mind. We kind of liked the spacing coming out of that to the Florida Derby and hopefully things continue on towards Kentucky.”

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Classic Winner Mo Donegal Celebrates A Colt As His First Foal

Spendthrift Farm's Mo Donegal, the classic-winning son of Uncle Mo, sired his first reported foal this week when a colt was born at WinStar Farm in Versailles, the stallion's farm said in a release Friday afternoon.

Bred by Alfredo Gastaneta, the bay colt is out of the Declaration of War mare Andavete, a half-sister to 2020 GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News (Giant's Causeway) and hailing from the immediate family of champion sire Saint Ballado.

“This is a good size colt with good bone and leg underneath him,” said Fernando Macchiavello, agent for Alfredo Gastaneta. “He looks like an Uncle Mo, with that hip and balance and long legs. He has that look to him.”

Mo Donegal joined Nyquist as classic-winning sons of leading sire Uncle Mo when he captured his biggest win in the 2022 GI Belmont S. Campaigned by trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Repole Stable and Donegal Racing, Mo Donegal also won the GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct, defeating Grade I winner Zandon (Upstart), and the GII Wood Memorial S. over classic winner Early Voting (Gun Runner).

Mo Donegal retired to Spendthrift with earnings of $1,511,800. He bred 186 mares in his first book in 2023 and is set to stand his second season for a fee of $15,000 S&N.

For more information about Mo Donegal, please contact Des, Mark, Brian or Daniel at 859-294-0030, or click here.

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Well-Bred Curlin Filly Debuts for Pletcher at Big A

1st-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m, post time: 12:50 p.m. ET

WEATHER DELAY (Curlin), the first foal out of MGISW American Gal (Concord Point), kicks off her career for Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. The 3-year-old was a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. Carrying the colors of Kaleem Shah, American Gal captured the 2017 GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga and the following term's GI Humana Distaff S. at Churchill Downs. She was also third as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. American Gal brought $3 million from Weather Delay's breeder Whisper Hill Farm at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Her 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief brought $1.1 million from Grandview Equine at last year's Keeneland September sale. TJCIS PPs

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