Englehart has another big-margin 2-year-old winner, and there may be more to come
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Jeremiah Englehart has sent out a pair of 2-year-olds to win their debuts by 10 or more lengths so far this year, and they may not be the best juveniles he has in his barn.
On Wednesday, the New York-bred filly Bellacose won her debut by 10 3/4 lengths, running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.08 and earning a 71 Beyer Speed Figure. Last month, at Aqueduct, Mo Plex won a 2-year-old maiden race by 10 lengths, then came back here on July 13 to win the Grade 3 Sanford by a length.
Englehart said he liked his group of juveniles coming into the spring but several got sick or suffered minor injuries that have curtailed their preparation.
“At some point, they’ve all missed a little bit of time,” Englehart said Thursday morning. “I still feel really good about the horses that are behind these two. Hopefully, it continues to go that way.”
Englehart said he has a New York-bred named Iron Max who is still trying to figure things out mentally “but he may have the most ability of all the ones I have,” Englehart said.
Sir Kartrite is another colt who Englehart is looking forward to getting to the races.
Among his fillies, Englehart holds Miss Welch in high regard and was actually planning to run her in Wednesday’s maiden race instead of Bellacose but opted to give her another work. He had a filly Lil Breezzy get scratched at the gate on June 14 at Aqueduct.
“Then she got a hock infection and spent a couple of weeks at Rood and Riddle,” Englehart said. “I thought she was the best filly we had training at the time.”
Meanwhile, Englehart said he would likely point Mo Plex, a son of Uncle Mo, to the $200,000 Funny Cide Stakes and Bellacose, a daughter of Audible, to the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes, both for New York-breds, on Aug. 25.
Englehart said he will also nominate Mo Plex to the Grade 1 Hopeful here on Sept. 2.
“I get a little worried about from his first race to what he did in the Sanford how much that might take out of him so I’m probably leaning toward to the Funny Cide right now,” Englehart said. “If he can win that it gives me an extra week to prepare for the Champagne [at Aqueduct] if we want to try to go long.”
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