Modernist (by Uncle Mo out of Symbolic Gesture, by Bernardini) was a high class runner at 3 and 4YO, by the hottest sire-of-sires currently out there in Uncle Mo. He also comes from a deep and classy female family, and is an intriguing new stallion prospect at Darby Dan Farm.
A maiden winner in January of his 3YO season for trainer Bill Mott, Modernist stepped right up and scored in the G2 Risen Star Stakes next time out that February, before finishing a good 3rd in the G2 Louisiana Derby on the Kentucky Derby trail before Covid pushed that event back in 2020. Modernist returned at 4 with a game victory in the G3 Excelsior at Aqueduct, sandwiched between 2nd-place finishes in the G3 Challenger at Tampa and the G3 Pimlico Special. He retired with 3 wins from 11 starts and over half-a-million in earnings.
Modernist’s sire, Uncle Mo, was himself a brilliant champion 2YO and is a leading sire of runners, while three of his sons (Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork) ranked in the top five of the 2020 Leading First-Crop Sires list, making him a hot commodity in the sire-of-sires department now as well. Modernist’s dam, by the excellent broodmare sire Bernardini, is a half-sister to a pair of Breeders’ Cup winners in Life Is Sweet and Sweet Catomine.
Modernist will stand his first season at stud in 2022, for a $10,000 live foal fee, and you can see his page on the Darby Dan website here.
Modernist wins the G3 Excelsior
Modernist wins the G2 Risen Star