Black Tears, an Uncle Mo "Loose" in Argentina

The colt, born in 2023, was imported in utero by Haras La Nora, out of Queen of Country, a half-sister to the formidable stallion Fortify

Uncle Mo, the sire of Black Tears and an exceptional racehorse himself / COOLMORE

By Diego H. Mitagstein

At this time of year, sales catalogs are everywhere—whether showcasing the latest foal crop from top breeding operations or filling the pages of auction booklets for upcoming sales, both virtual and in-person.

Stacks of these small books pile up on the desks of racing enthusiasts, who, in their spare moments, scan pedigrees—a near-sport in itself for breeders and owners. Sometimes, there are simply too many to go through them all.

One such catalog that recently caught attention was that of Haras La Nora, the renowned breeding farm owned by Silvestre Blousson. And within its pages, one name stood out: Black Tears.

The colt in question is none other than a son of the phenomenal Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie), a superstar both on the racetrack and in the breeding shed. The late stallion, who died far too young, left an immense void in the industry.

But Black Tears brings a unique genetic twist—he arrived in Argentina in utero, carried by his dam, Queen of Country, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado). That makes him a half-brother to Fortify (Distorted Humor), Argentina’s Champion Sire, as well as to Bay of Plenty, a G3 winner, and Kamakura, the dam of Be Your Best(Muhaarar), winner of the G2 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational this past January.

"We’ve had great success leaving our U.S.-purchased mares to foal in the Northern Hemisphere, and we wanted to continue leveraging the outstanding genetics available there by using top-tier stallions during the Southern Hemisphere season, where stud fees are often more affordable," explained Blousson, grandson of Eduardo S., a key figure in Argentine racing and founder of Haras La Nora, located in the heart of San Antonio de Areco. "With the help of Ignacio Correas Jr. and Adrian Wallace, we were able to send Queen of Country to Uncle Mo, and that’s how this colt came to be."

In total, three foals in Haras La Nora’s 2023 catalog arrived in utero, including two by Cupid, the Tapit son who won the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. One is out of Incentivized (Invincible Spirit), while the other is out of Sam’n Cat(Tale of the Cat).

Breeding a mare to Uncle Mo at Coolmore America, even during the Southern Hemisphere season, is a significant investment. When asked about the commitment, Blousson responded: "It’s about contributing to Argentine racing by importing world-class genetics, with the conviction that, by doing things right, we can elevate Haras La Nora to the prominence it once held. That’s why we also have foals by Il Campione (Scat Daddy), Equal Stripes (Candy Stripes), Cosmic Trigger (Lizard Island), Fortify, and Gouverneur Morris (Constitution), who has made a spectacular start at stud."

According to the Argentine Stud Book, only three foals by Uncle Mo were born in Argentina during the 2023 Southern Hemisphere season. Along with Black Tears, the list includes Futre Mo (out of Fuddled, by Invincible Spirit), bred by Haras La Providencia, and Rey del Pino (out of G1 winner Reina de Mollendo, by Mastercraftsman), bred by Haras Firmamento.

And what’s the story behind the name Black Tears? Blousson explained: "Our 2023 crop is named after wines, and that’s one of my favorites. That’s why we chose it."

Now, all that’s left is to wait and see Black Tears on the track, as he grows, trains, and prepares for his racing career. That, however, is a story for another day…