Uncle Mo opens lead, The Factor advances

By: SPORTS NETWORK

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Early Kentucky Derby favorite Uncle Mo extended his lead while The Factor jumped five spots in the latest NTRA Three- Year-Old Poll. Giant Oak remained in first in the National Poll.

Eclipse Award winning colt Uncle Mo, owned by Mike Repole, gained a top vote and added 17 points in the latest balloting. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 2010 champion two-year-old received 19 first-place votes and 205 total points. Uncle Mo will probably make his next start in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9.

Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Soldat continues in the second spot with one top vote and 160 points.

Advancing five rungs to third-place is The Factor fresh off his front-running win in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Bob Baffert, The Factor picked up the remaining first-place vote and 133 points.

San Felipe Stakes champ Premier Pegasus rose one spot to fourth. The colt received 116 points.

Completing the three-year-old poll are Dialed In (113), Stay Thirsty (101), Mucho Macho Man (94), To Honor and Serve (39), Flashpoint (38) and Jaycito (24).

In the NTRA National Poll, eight of the top 10 vote getters received at least one first-place vote led by Donn Handicap winner Giant Oak. The five-year-old garnered eight top votes and 156 points.

Santa Anita Handicap champ Game On Dude is second with one first-place vote and 124 points.

Remaining in third-place is Tackleberry who won this month's Gulfstream Park Handicap. The gelding received one first-place vote and 118 points.

Three-year-old Uncle Mo had the second most top votes at five and kept the fourth spot with 102 points.

Rounding out the top 10 are Big Drama (1 first-place vote, 80), Twirling Candy (79), Gio Ponti (1, 77), Goldikova (3, 61), Havre de Grace (56) and Misremembered (1, 35).