After breaking his maiden impressively facing New York-breds at Aqueduct June 20, Mo Plex jumped right into stakes company and took the GIII Sanford Stakes in gate to wire fashion on opening weekend at Saratoga July 13. Coming in with the clear class advantage as the sole stakes winner in the field, the even-money favorite, used to setting the tempo, was outrun from the outside gate by In the Chase (Weekend Hideaway) and had to settle for an outside stalking trip while fanned out wide. Not able to save much ground around the far turn, he was four wide passing the quarter pole with Soontobeking to catch. Put to a sustained drive down the center of the course, Mo Plex proved his class, just nailing that rival on the wire for the narrowest of wins to keep his perfect record in tact.
“He ran well,” said winning trainer Jeremiah Englehart. “He's still a little green, like he does some things. I was talking to Irad [Ortiz, Jr.], he said coming out of the gate he spotted the field. He went wide. He said he lost 3-to-4 lengths today just having to kind of ride him and keep him focused a little bit. It's good to get this one out of the way.”
Englehart noted that the GI Champagne Stakes Oct. 5 at Aqueduct may be next for his colt.
“I kind of would like to see him go around two turns to see how he uses that natural speed, too. Anything is on the table, I'm just glad that we got this one and hopefully he comes out well.”
From the first crop of Complexity (by Maclean's Music), Mo Plex was a $45,000 OBS April 2-year-old purchase and is the first foal out of an unraced Uncle Mo dam. Mo Joy has since produced a yearling Maximus Mischief colt and a colt by Improbable this year and is due back to Independence Hall for 2025. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Mo Plex (even) runs his record to 3-for-3 with a gutty win by a nose in the Funny Cide for @jceracingstable and @iradortiz . Mo Plex won the Sanford here earlier in the meet. 10-9-2-8 pic.twitter.com/rUrvwov2y9
— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) August 25, 2024
FUNNY CIDE S. PRESENTED BY ROOD & RIDDLE EQUINE HOSPITAL, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-25, (S), 2yo, 6f, 1:11.72, ft.
1–MO PLEX, 122, c, 2, by Complexity
1st Dam: Mo Joy, by Uncle Mo
2nd Dam: Gold Anklet, by Lemon Drop Kid
3rd Dam: Anklet, by Wild Again
($27,000 RNA Ylg '23 SARAUG; $45,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR).
O-R and H Stable; B-Everythings Cricket Racing (NY);
T-Jeremiah C. Englehart; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $110,000. Lifetime
Record: GSW, 3-3-0-0, $247,500.
2–Soontobeking, 122, c, 2, King for a Day–Swayed, by Freud.
($80,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Our Blue
Streaks Stable, SGV Thoroughbreds and George Weaver; B-Our
Blue Streaks Stable & SGV Thoroughbreds (NY); T-George
Weaver. $40,000.
3–The Toner, 118, c, 2, Maclean's Music–Ultimate Shopper,
by Yes It's True. ($150,000 Ylg '23 KEEJAN; $190,000 RNA Ylg
'23 KEESEP; $150,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT; $50,000 RNA 2yo '24
OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-George A. Sharp; B-3C Stables,
LLC (NY); T-Caio Caramori. $24,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, 1. Odds: 1.00, 12.20, 20.60.
Also Ran: In the Chase, McDiesel, Mi Bago, Smilensaycheese. Scratched: Bostontonian, Friday Surprise, Under Who's Radar.
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