'It's a storybook, man. I keep pinching myself' - owner's joy at big-money deal

Robin Doser and Metropolitan Thoroughbreds have sold a majority interest in three-year-old colt Mo Money Mo Honey, undefeated in three career starts, to Mike Repole.

By Uncle Mo, campaigned by Repole to 2010 Eclipse Award champion two-year-old male before becoming an influential sire, Mo Money Mo Honey has been transferred from Laurel Park-based trainer Benny Feliciano jnr to Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

"It's a storybook, man. I keep pinching myself. It's surreal. I'm not sure it's actually happening," said RJ Bistle, co-owner since 2005 of Metropolitan Moving & Storage in Laurel who races as Metropolitan Thoroughbreds. "It's unbelievable.

"He arrived in New York okay. I'm sure Todd and his team want to take a look at him and make a decision where to put him. It's exciting."

Mo Money Mo Honey is out of the Curlin mare Stopshoppingdebbie, who won nine of ten career starts, including eight stakes at Emerald Downs in Washington from 2013-14. Despite his breeding, the South Point Sales Agency-consigned Mo Money Mo Honey fetched just $14,000 at Keeneland's September 2020 Yearling Sale, bought by Big Oak Farm.

He wound up on a farm in Kentucky, where he was put up for sale along with other well-bred horses. Feliciano found him, and Doser and Bistle agreed to split the purchase price, $15,000.

Mo Money Mo Honey debuted on July 16 at Laurel, romping by six lengths in a 51/2f maiden special weight, crossing the wire under a hand ride from Horacio Karamanos.

He returned in a 6f allowance on August 14 against older horses and cruised by seven lengths, then beat his elders again by four and a quarter lengths in an allowance optional claimer on September 23 at Pimlico.

Feliciano said: "He's running those times, and he just does it so naturally. I don't even know if he's a speed horse. I think he's just talented and he just goes to the lead."

Outside interest in Mo Money Mo Honey came quickly following his unveiling and increased each time he ran. Ultimately, it was Repole's offer that won out.

"We received offers after all three of his races, and they gradually got bigger as the horse raced with more widespread interest," said Bistle.

"Our intention was to keep some money and stay with the horse, and doing both allowed us to have the benefit of both. We get to put some money in our pocket and we get to go watch the horse race as an owner. It's the best of both worlds, really."

Bistle was quick to point out the contributions of Feliciano, Maryland's Trainer of the Year in 1998, and his team for both finding and developing Mo Money Mo Honey.

Bistle said: "I'm so happy. I hope that this horse continues to do well and shines a positive light on horseracing at Laurel. Benny Feliciano deserves most of the credit for this. Benny found this horse and trained this horse perfectly and professionally.

"I hope that people at Laurel Park and elsewhere will realize how professional a job he did, especially considering this horse is not racing with equipment or medication. He's handled this colt perfectly. Benny and the people in his barn are the ones that transformed the horse into who he is today."

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