Breaking along the fence, Royal Slipper shot to the lead and quickly opened up a distinct advantage up the backstretch. As fellow firster Loveland (Munnings) gave chase into the far turn, the Ward trainee continued to dictate the pace and moving effortlessly into the lane, she motored home under a hand ride to win over her opponent by 4 3/4 lengths.

Out of an extended female family which includes GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. victoress Fioretti (Bernardini), Street Sense S. hero South Bend (Algorithms) and GI Santa Margarita S. heroine Fault (Blame), the winner is a full to Bast, MGISW, $852,200. Her dam Laffina (Arch) has continued to visit Uncle Mo, producing a yearling colt, foaling another May 6 and visiting him for next year.

Royal Slipper is Uncle Mo's 15th named 'TDN Rising Star'.

2nd-Keeneland, $99,588, Msw, 10-6, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.58, ft, 4 3/4 lengths.
ROYAL SLIPPER, f, 2, Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Laffina, by Arch
                2nd Dam: St Lucinda, by St. Jovite
                3rd Dam: Majestic Nature, by Majestic Prince
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $56,575. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward.

#1 Royal Slipper wins on debut in gate-to-wire fashion in R2 at Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward with @ljlmvel in aboard!

This 2-year-old filly is a FULL sister to MGSW Bast!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/QyVWf0yxQM

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) October 6, 2023

O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Wesley Ward.

The post Uncle Mo’s Royal Slipper Fits As A New ‘TDN Rising Star’ At Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Drawn inside facing a field of 12, ROYAL SLIPPER (Uncle Mo) for Wesley Ward is out of $1.5m Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale pick up Laffina (Arch), making her a full-sister to MGISW and $4.2m FTKNOV purchase Bast. The dam is a half to GSW/GISP Mananan Mclir (Royal Academy) and to the dam of GISW Fault (Blame), another FTKNOV spotlight at $1.2m.

Lady Chai (Kantharos), a $570,000 Keeneland September buy, is a half-sister to GSW/GISP Shivaji (First Samurai) and to SW/MGISP Tarabi (First Samuari). Cherie Devaux trains for an ownership group that includes CHC INC., Hinkle Farms, David Ingordo and LBD Stable LLC.

Making her second start is $1,000,000 FTSAUG yearling Charlottesapproval (Into Mischief) who needs to improve in this spot after a well-beaten eighth on debut at Ellis Park Aug. 18. TJCIS PPS

7th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:48 p.m.

In a race redrawn from last Friday's rain out, Digital Ops (Nyquist) is the second foal out of MSW/GISP Flora Dora (First Dude). Picked up on a final bid of $600,000 at this Spring's OBS March sale, the colt is a half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Spun Intended (Hard Spun).

Drawn outside is fellow first timer and stablemate Unique Insight (Gun Runner). This one, a $360,000 Fasig-Tipton October pickup by Klaravich Stables, is a half to runaway Albany S. winner Drake's Passage (Tonalist).

To graduate, that pair will have to face a trio of salty second-time starters paced by the half-brother to Cody's Wish (Curlin) in Hunt Ball (Into Mischief). The Bill Mott trainee and Godolphin homebred stayed on to be second in his Saratoga debut Aug. 19 behind next-out GIII Iroquois S. runner up Risk It (Gun Runner).

Enlighten (City of Light), a $450,000 yearling, finished the best of the debuting runners in his own Saratoga race Sept. 2 but was ultimately fourth through a speedy seven furlongs.

Arguably the best-bred colt of the bunch, Pentathlon (Speightstown) adds blinkers for his second start after managing sixth behind Just Steel (Justify) and 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) at the Spa Aug. 5. The Phipps Stable-bred counts MGISW My Flag as his third dam with family members such as champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPS

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