Toby's Corner - Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial (G1)

Toby's Corner rallied from last to storm past a tiring Uncle Mo and outkick Arthur's Tale in the final jumps of Saturday's 87th edition of the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The neck victory was the race's biggest upset since Secretariat finished third to Angle Light by four lengths in 1973.

Ridden by Eddie Castro, Toby's Corner, a 3-year-old son of 2005 Wood winner Bellamy Road, stayed on the rail as 1-10 favorite Uncle Mo led the field through an opening half-mile in 47.98, three-quarters in 1:12.28 and a mile in 1:37.26 while under pressure from a trio of longshots. Advancing steadily after having been shuffled back to last at the half-mile pole, Toby's Corner kicked into gear once tipped to the outside in the stretch. As Uncle Mo began to tire, Toby's Corner moved up along with Arthur's Tale and surged to the front in the final yards to hit the wire in 1:49.93 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Uncle Mo, the 2010 Eclipse winner as the nation's Top 2-Year-Old Male and the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, finished third, another length back, as he suffered his first loss in five starts.

"I can't say I'm shocked but I'm disappointed," said Todd Pletcher, who trains Uncle Mo for Mike Repole. "I was a little concerned turning for home at the three-sixteenths pole when he didn't really kick clear. I thought then that we were going to be in for a fight. You could see the last 50-60 yards he was tired."

"He came a little flat down the lane," said jockey John Velazquez. "Hopefully we can get him back together and get him back to the Derby."

It was the fourth win in five starts and first in a graded stakes for the late-developing Toby's Corner, who broke his maiden at Laurel Park on November 25 in his second start. Winner of an optional claimer at Laurel in January, Toby's Corner traveled to New York in February to win the Whirlaway Stakes by two lengths over J J's Lucky Train -- who won the Grade 3 Bay Shore earlier on Saturday's card -- and then came back to the Big A to finish third behind the Repole-owned Stay Thirsty in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 5.

More: http://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/stories/WoodMemorial2011.shtml

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[tomspadoro]

Since Secretariat himself? Yea right. 

[Horses4ever8]

@NovaEventing sorry but you don;t know that he got hurt in the gate andh as an infection which is hwy he didn't show up in the race he may not even run in the derby

[NovaEventing]

Uncle Mo just isn't meant for this distance:( I don't imagine he'll do extremely well in the Derby. My family owns Bellamy Road, Toby's Corner's sire. Toby past the finish w/ such energy, I think he should do well in Derby b/c that is more of the distance he prefers.

[DonButtonStaging]

The timely was a hint. Non Graded to a G1, Hmmm

[Observoyager]

What a shame to see Mo lose. Hopefully will regroup in KD.