UNCLE MO TURNS IN BLISTERING HALF-MILE

With owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher watching, 2010 juvenile champion Uncle Mo blazed four furlongs in a bullet :46.57 over Belmont Park’s training track for his next start in the one-mile Kelso Handicap (gr. II) Oct. 1.

Uncle Mo, whose time was the fastest of 79 workouts at the distance, and Repole’s Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Stay Thirsty, led a host of Pletcher’s stars working out Sept. 25 for upcoming engagements on Belmont’s “Super Saturday” program.

Uncle Mo, who returned to racing after a four-month absence to finish second by a nose in the Foxwoods King’s Bishop (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 27, zipped through a seemingly effortless half-mile under jockey John Velazquez.

“That was faster than I wanted to go; it’s not what we set out to do, but I think it’s an indication of how well he’s doing at the moment,” said Pletcher. “We were looking for a ‘final breeze before the race,’ a standard 48, 49, and I think he’s just doing so well now that he went a little quicker than that. It seems like he’s moving great and everything he’s been doing since the King’s Bishop has been exceptional, so we’re pleased with that.”

“Super Saturday” offers six graded stakes, five of them grade Is, worth $2.7 million. The program will be telecast on ESPN Classic and ESPN3.com from 4:30-7:30 p.m. EDT. All six are “Win and You’re In” races for the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4-5.

Repole said Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty “both went probably faster than you want them to go, but Johnny is on Mo, and I don’t think Mo knows the word ‘slow,’ so 46 for him is 50 for everybody else.”

Super Espresso, owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, remained possible for the 1 1/8-mile Beldame, Pletcher said. “We are weighing our options between this and the (Juddmonte) Spinster,” said Pletcher.