Mo Plex works; Haskell possible

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Less than two weeks after winning the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, Mo Plex returned to the work tab Friday morning with a strong half-mile in 47.51 seconds over Saratoga’s main track. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Mo Plex got his final three furlongs in 35.20 seconds and galloped out a strong five furlongs in 1:00.91 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:14.69.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is debating between the Jim Dandy on July 26 or the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 19 for his horse’s next start.

“I’d love to run in the Jim Dandy, but I don’t want to run against Sovereignty and it seems like there’s a good field here,” said Englehart, who trains Mo Plex for owners Rick Higgins and Howard Read. “[The Haskell] is one week earlier, but the way he’s doing right now, I’m not concerned about one less week. If he worked really well next week, we might shoot for that.

Mo Plex, a New York-bred son of Complexity, won the Bay Shore Stakes going seven furlongs at Aqueduct on April 19. He was entered in the Mike Lee Stakes for New York-breds on June 4, but had to scratch because Englehart’s barn was quarantined due to a case of strangles. Plan B became the Ohio Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race at Thistledown that Mo Plex won by two lengths under Joe Ramos, earning a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

“After that race, he’s been really, really feeling good,” Englehart said.

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