Although he won his first three starts at 2, including a pair of Saratoga black-type events, by early this spring the now 3-year-old Mo Plex appeared to have his limitations as to class and distance well exposed. That evaluation, however, now requires some revision, following Mo Plex's last two starts, the most recent of which came in the June 21 Ohio Derby (G3).
A $27,000 RNA at the New York-bred segment of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, and a $45,000 buy at the Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, Mo Plex made an auspicious start to his career, scoring by 10 lengths in a New York-bred maiden special weight during the Belmont at the Big A spring meeting. He followed up by going wire-to-wire to score in the Sanford Stakes (G3), then overcame a stumble at the start to take the Funny Cide Stakes against state-breds by a nose.
Stretching out past six furlongs for the first time, Mo Plex finished third, albeit 7 1/2 lengths behind the winner, Chancer McPatrick, in the Champagne Stakes (G1) over a mile. Still at eight panels, but against fellow New York-breds in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes last October, Mo Plex battled on the lead with Sacrosanct, but had to give best to the rival, going down by 1 1/2 lengths. The limitations mentioned at the beginning of the article appeared confirmed in Mo Plex's 2025 debut, which saw his third straight defeat over eight furlongs, as he finished third, beaten a half-length in the Gander Stakes, another New York-bred event.
A drop to seven furlongs brought a much better effort against open company in the Bay Shore Stakes, where Mo Plex prevailed by a head after a pace duel, covering the distance in a sharp 1:21.96. Pointed at the Mike Lee Stakes for New York-breds at the Belmont Stakes (G1) meet, he was scratched when another horse under the care of Mo Plex's trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, tested positive for strangles, putting the barn under a two-week quarantine. Thus, Mo Plex headed to Thistledown for the $500,000 Ohio Derby, where he would tackle nine furlongs for the first time. After tracking the pace-setting Clever Again, Mo Plex took over in the stretch, and defying doubts about his stamina, was pulling away when he hit the line two lengths clear. His Beyer, a new top of 96, is within hailing distance of some of the better 3-year-olds of the crop, and it won't take a lot of improvement to make him a contender for some major three-year-old events this summer and fall.
Mo Plex is from the first crop of Complexity (by the once-raced Maclean's Music , from the Distorted Humor branch of Mr. Prospector. Complexity won his first two starts at two, including the Champagne Stakes (G1) before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). He won a seven-furlong allowance from three starts at three, and the following year, four starts brought an allowance victory over Win Win Win , a decisive success in the Kelso Handicap (G2), and a close second to Win Win Win in the Forego Stakes (G1).
Retired to Airdrie Stud in Kentucky at a fee of $12,500—which rose to $25,000 for the most recent season—Complexity has made a bright start to his stud career. In addition to Mo Plex, his first crop has also supplied Black Forza, successful in England's Richmond Stakes (G2) last year, and other U.S. stakes winners Kale's Angel, Hollygrove, Tough Catch, Complexity Jane, and Mensa.
Mo Plex is the first foal of the unraced Uncle Mo mare, Mo Joy. The second dam, Gold Anklet, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, was also unraced, but is three-quarters to French-listed-placed juvenile, River Bride, and half sister to the dam of stakes winner Jessethemarine.
We reach the first previous graded scorer in the family with the third dam, Anklet. She captured five black-type events, including the Florida Oaks (G1) and took second in the Ashland Stakes (G1). Anklet was half sister to Spangled, a listed winner in France at two, and to Awe That, who was a minor black-type placed runner in Florida, but produced the Alcibiades Stakes (G2) and Valley View Stakes (G3) victress Bel Air Beauty (herself dam of champion Canadian sprinter Stacked Deck) and also appears as granddam of graded winner True Royalty and stakes winner Final Boss.
Mo Plex is one of two stakes winners from 19 starters by Maclean's Music and sons out of mares by Indian Charlie and sons. Other runners hailing from a similar cross include McAfee (by Cloud Computing), who followed up a runner-up effort in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2), with third behind Mo Plex in the Ohio Derby.
