Mo Plex became the newest poster boy for the lucrative New York-bred breeding program with his front-running score in the $175,000 Sanford Stakes (G3) July 13 at Saratoga Race Course.
Selected for a bargain price of $45,000 at this year's Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, the juvenile surpassed all expectations when he dashed across the wire for his first graded score. The Sanford victory came only 23 days after Mo Plex had demolished his rivals by 10 lengths in a state-bred maiden special weight during the Belmont at the Big A meeting.
"I love the (New York-bred) program," said trainer Jeremiah Englehart. "This is where I call home all year long, and I concentrate and focus on buying New York-breds. Hopefully, we've got a few more we can unveil later in the meet and have some fun with. It's just a tremendous program, and they've shown they can run with anything."
The Sanford field was dealt a curve ball early Saturday morning when 6-5 race favorite Mentee was scratched from the race. Owner Mike Repole had reported on X that the full brother to 2023 champion 2-year-old male Fierceness had unfortunately spiked a 102.2-degree temperature. With the absence of the speedy Mentee, the Sanford suddenly became a wide-open playing field.
Irad Ortiz Jr., well versed in Mo Plex after piloting the colt in his explosive debut, spurred the son of Complexity to the front from the far outside post. Angling inward, Mo Plex cleared the field in the first 50 yards and scampered to a decisive advantage through a :22.51 opening quarter. With his opponents reeling behind him turning for home following a half-mile in :45.92, Mo Plex drove down the lane and held safe by a diminishing length from a late-rallying Studlydoright.
"I hope everything works out well with (scratched morning-line favorite) Mentee, and we kind of benefitted a little bit from the scratch today, but Irad rode him really well," Englehart said. "I'm really excited with how he did everything."
Mo Plex ($5.70), owned by R and H Stable, stopped the timer in 1.11.72 for six furlongs on a fast main track.
Maryland-bred Studlydoright, winner of the Tremont Stakes June 6, finished a half-length in front of Three Echoes for runner-up honors.
In a first-crop sire race that has been tighter than the strings on Novak Djokovic's racket, Mo Plex's Sanford win gave Complexity his landmark first graded stakes winner and extended the Airdrie Stud resident's lead at the top of the freshman stallion rankings. From his inaugural crop to hit the track, the grade 1-winning son of Maclean's Music has sired eleven winners from 15 starters, one more winner than Spendthrift Farm's Vekoma . Complexity stood the 2024 season for $12,500.
Bred by Everything's Cricket Racing, Mo Plex is the first foal produced by his dam, the unraced Uncle Mo mare Mo Joy. The young mare has a yearling colt by Maximus Mischief and delivered an Improbable colt this past term.
