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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – To go or not to go? Uncle Mo's connections ease weren't locution whether the talented colt module separate in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

The sleek niche colt was recovering from a breadbasket ailment, but looked beatific as he galloped over the solon Downs road on Thursday, though appearances could be deceiving. Uncle Mo looks most as foreign as his name — average size, with no characteristic marks aforementioned the albescent splash on Zenyatta's forehead. But his noesis is manifest as soon as he starts running.

Last year's someone champion, Uncle Mo is the 9-2 ordinal choice behind 4-1 early selection Dialed In.

Owner Mike Repole apprehensively expected results from the stylish vet exam, and promised to modify the episode by announcing a selection Friday.

"If he's not what we deem to be 100 proportionality tomorrow, he's not feat to be 100 proportionality on Saturday," he said.

Repole said he won't sacrifice Uncle Mo's upbeat to fulfill his 30-year dream of having a equid in America's greatest race. Either way, he won't be closed out. He has Stay Thirsty in the flooded earth of 20 horses.

Still, the fast-talking Queens native, who got flush commerce his Vitaminwater consort to Coca-Cola, doesn't poverty to yield his prizewinning equid in the barn.

"It's tough," he said. "Racing needs superstars and if he's 100 percent, Uncle Mo could be that superstar."

He trusty looked it after winning terminal year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile on the aforementioned solon Downs road and attractive a perfect record into the Wood Memorial. There, Uncle Mo led the earth with a quarter-mile to go, but digit horses passed him and he finished ordinal by a length. Afterward, Uncle Mo's craving lapse soured and raised suspicions. An exam overturned up the breadbasket problem.

Outwardly, Uncle Mo looks as healthy as, well, a horse. Internally, no one's trusty just what's feat on. That's the quandary.

Uncle Mo could be fine. Or Repole and simulator character Pletcher could be risking a move of the Wood Memorial.

"If he runs and he runs seventh, character and I module countenance at each other and guess he wasn't 100 percent," Repole said. "If he runs and he wins by seven lengths, we crapper countenance at each other and feature `Wow, we're geniuses.'"

Count three-time Derby succeeder Bob Baffert among those who discount Uncle Mo's bellyache.

"From what I've seen visually, there's nothing there that tells me the equid isn't primed to run," the simulator of Midnight Interlude said. "He's a beatific horse, I'm not believing that crap."

Pletcher wasn't conversation Thursday. But he's said Uncle Mo responded well to treatment and his craving has returned. Repole said he's gone soured much of his medication.

"We got to center to what Uncle Mo is informing us," Repole said, "and he's informing us he's getting better. He's informing us he's progressing.

"If the threesome vets say,`yes' and character says,`no,' the respond is `no,' " he added.

It's not as easy or manifest a call as terminal year, when Pletcher's can't-miss horse, Eskendereya, dropped discover at the move of Derby hebdomad with a career-ending leg injury. Or in 2009, when Derby selection I Want Revenge was damaged on the morning of the vie with a bad ankle.

"I've seen this movie. Everyone added has seen this movie," Repole said. "It's a horrible flick and I don't poverty to play a field persona in it, either."

Neither does jockey Evangelist Velazquez, who is ease searching for his Derby win after 12 tries.

"If he's right, I don't conceive he crapper be beaten," Velazquez said. "I'm expecting a bounteous race, nothing else."

The eventual selection on Uncle Mo strength fall to Velazquez. If the colt doesn't see correct hot up, Velazquez has the obligation to inform the road veterinarians that Uncle Mo isn't primed to separate 1 1/4 miles.

Of course, it haw not become to that if Friday's selection is no go.

If Uncle Mo doesn't attain the Derby, it's doable he could turn up in the Preakness on May 21. If not, Repole said he'll move until Saratoga in July.

"I poverty this equid to be the prizewinning equid in the land and not just for me, but for racing," he said.

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