Complexity, Instilled Regard on comeback trail

Complexity and Instilled Regard, graded stakes winners from a year ago, are working their way back to the races.

On Sunday, at Belmont, Complexity, the Grade 1 Champagne winner in 2018, worked five furlongs in 1:00.36 in company with the maiden One-Eyed Jack. It was the fastest work of the morning at the distance and the 10th for Complexity since the summer.

Trainer Chad Brown said Complexity is “getting close” to a return. He has made only one start this year, finishing last of 11 in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 8.

Instilled Regard, winner of the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds in 2018, worked a half-mile in 48.09 seconds over Belmont’s inner turf course. He worked in company with recent European import Flavius, who has won two of three starts.

Instilled Regard has not run since he finished sixth in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes on dirt at Churchill Downs on May 3.

“He wasn’t quite right after his last race, we got him checked out and [owner Larry Best] did the right thing by giving him a nice rest,” Brown said. “He’s come back looking pretty sound.”

Brown said Instilled Regard, who was beaten a neck in a grass allowance at Keeneland in April, will likely point to a similar spot on the turf.