Mo Plex Flexing for Local Connections Going Into the Spa Meet
Photographed by Tony Podlaski
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Like many sports in which there is a first half and second half, horse racing could be seen in a similar way, especially with 3-year-olds.
Sovereignty, who is currently stabled in Bill Mott’s barn near the Oklahoma Training Track, has established himself as one of the leading 3-year-olds coming out of the first half of the racing season by taking the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Of course, Journalism is also in that mix with his Preakness victory and being runner-up to Sovereignty in the other Triple Crown races.
Now that the Saratoga Race Course meet could be considered the second half of racing season, other 3-year-olds are looking to test their abilities in the marquee races such as the Jim Dandy on July 26 and the Travers Stakes on Aug. 23.
One of those 3-year-olds is Mo Plex, the local horse owned by longtime friends Rick Higgins of Saratoga Springs and Howard Reed of Albany with their partnership of R and H Stable and trained by Jeremiah Englehart, who has been a Schuylerville resident since 2018.
About two weeks ago, the New York-bred added another graded stakes win to his resume in taking the Grade 3 Ohio Derby by a convincing two lengths over Chunk of Gold and McAfee at Thistledown Racetrack just outside of Cleveland.
The 3-year-old New York-bred provides momentum for local owners Rick Higgins and Howard Reed, as well as trainer Jeremiah Englehart, going into the Saratoga Race Course meet as part of the second half of the horse racing season. Photo of Mo Plex by Tony Podlaski. Photo of Englehart via JCE Racing.
“I kind of always thought he could handle two turns,” Englehart said. “Going out there, you always have your doubts. Honestly, when I walked him to the paddock, I felt pretty confident. It was hot that day, but he was on his toes and ready for action, and he showed it.”
The Ohio Derby wasn’t the initial plan for the connections. During the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga, Mo Plex was entered in the Mike Lee Stakes for state-breds with the path to the New York Derby at Finger Lakes on July 14 and the Albany Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 21. However, an illness around Englehart’s barn altered those plans as the colt was scratched from the Mike Lee.
“It’s funny how a plan gets thrown up in the air,” Englehart said. “I will never forget how I had to call Rick and Howard about scratching from the Mike Lee. They were super [supportive]. First, we wanted to get him healthy. After that, it was what do we do next. They let me roll with the Ohio Derby plan. I think it only worked timing wise. It was good. They make it easy to train Mo Plex. I’m blessed. It’s a great working relationship.”
This was the fourth stakes victory, including last year’s Grade 3 Sanford and the Funny Cide Stakes at Saratoga, for Mo Plex. In eight career starts, he has been no worse than third against state-breds and open company.
“He’s an excellent horse to train,” Englehart said. “I don’t think he has reached his peak yet. He’s a very athletic horse. He hasn’t won all of his races, but he gives 1,000 percent and he doesn’t leave the race where you are scratching your head.”
“I think he can outsprint horses going a mile,” he added. “If he is in the race early and the jockey has the horse, you’re in trouble because he will make you run every bit. Moving forward, his ability is going to tell us where he fits.”
By winning the Ohio Derby, Englehart, Higgins, and Read are entertaining the idea of the Jim Dandy to see if the son of Complexity can compete at that next level. Also under consideration is the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 19.
“When he won the Ohio Derby, we knew he was going to be a player at some level, whether he is at the top tier or bottom tier of 3-year-olds,” Englehart said. “It’s not like I want to start challenging Sovereignty, Journalism, and other horses like that. At the same time, I think he has put himself in that conversation.”
Regardless of the next start, Mo Plex is staying on his home base as part of the Oklahoma Annex on Fifth Avenue – the place where he started training after Englehart helped purchase him for $45,000 at the April Ocala Breeders’ Sale for 2-year-olds in training last year.
Mo Plex, bred by Avram and Rhoda Freedberg of Everything’s Cricket Racing, never met the reserve bid of $27,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sales at Saratoga. Now, he has bankrolled $745,000.
“The owners are local and they love Saratoga,” Englehart said. “We try to map everything around our training at Saratoga. NYRA has done a phenomenal job with Saratoga and building up this place. The vibe that everyone has around here is good.”
Mo Plex is not the only horse providing momentum for Englehart and his team going into the Saratoga meet, which officially starts on July 10 after the Fourth of July Racing Festival. Other recent winners at Aqueduct include Alpine Giant, Kyle’s Mom, and Last Mango. Englehart even had three straight winners at Finger Lakes, his home track, two weeks ago with Unicorn Cake, Three Point Strut, and Rocked Out.
Right now, Englehart has about 30 horses at the annex. This includes 20 promising 2-year-olds who are part of the New York-bred program.
“I have been excited about our 2-year-olds this year,” he said. “They have a lot of potential. We have invested in a lot of the New York program. To me, it’s fun to develop young horses and establish their careers.”