First-crop sires: Black Forza, Mo Plex keep rolling for Complexity

Since the first installment of our TwinSpires.com series on first-crop sires, early leader Complexity continues to add to his portfolio.

Irish-based Black Forza, whose maiden win at Fairyhouse was covered here, plundered the Aug. 1 Richmond (G2) at Glorious Goodwood. Now the Michael O’Callaghan pupil has set his sights on Kentucky Downs, where he’s expected to contest Sunday’s $1 million Juvenile Sprint.

Complexity’s first stakes winner, Sanford (G3) hero Mo Plex, scored another victory at Saratoga in Sunday’s $200,000 Funny Cide S. A perfect 3-for-3, the New York-bred just got up in the manner of a colt who wants to stretch out. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is reportedly plotting a path to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). 

Also listed as a possible Juvenile candidate is Complexity’s winner in Japan, Shin Forever. On this side of the Pacific at Del Mar, Complexity celebrated another new winner in Kale’s Angel.

With progeny earnings of $1.1 million as of Tuesday, Complexity still tops all North American sires of juveniles in 2024, beyond just the first-crop sires’ list. Fellow freshman Vekoma has two more winners (16), but Complexity’s 14 winners have emerged from fewer starters (30 compared to Vekoma’s 41 runners). That gives Complexity a better strike rate of 46.7%.

Before we catch up with the racecourse action, Complexity has an auction update as well. A share in the Airdrie Stud stallion was offered as an addition to Fasig-Tipton’s boutique yearling sale at Saratoga on Aug. 6. Scott Heider bought the share, a 2.5% interest, for $510,000. 

Kentucky Downs-bound Black Forza stars in Richmond

The lone Irish raider in the Richmond, Black Forza went off as a 9-1 chance. But a wicked early pace may have undermined the 11-10 favorite, The Strikin Viking, while playing to Black Forza’s strengths. 

Well ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, Black Forza settled near the back of the pack and needed to be nudged along to keep position at one stage. He had plenty in reserve, however, for the final furlong. After The Strikin Viking pounced from his close stalking spot, Black Forza unleashed a terrific late burst to nab him by a half-length. 

Black Forza completed six furlongs in a brisk 1:09.97 on the good-to-firm course. Connections believe that quick conditions are key for him.

O’Callaghan is clever to send him to Kentucky Downs for the Juvenile Sprint, considering that Black Forza is a Kentucky-bred eligible to collect the maximum payout in a lucrative race. Yet the colt has the class for the division’s prestige events in Europe. The colt is regarded highly enough to have an entry in the Sept. 28 Middle Park (G1) at Newmarket. 

Speaking of potential windfalls, Black Forza’s success has prompted a flash sale of his dam, Harlee Honey, and half sister, Ocean Honey, on Keeneland’s online sales portal. Bidding opened noon Monday and concludes 3 p.m. Thursday (both times ET). 

Mo Plex raises sights after Funny Cide

All things being equal, you’d expect the Sanford winner to advance to Saratoga’s grand finale for juveniles, the Hopeful (G1). But Englehart believed that it was in Mo Plex’s best interest to revert to state-bred company for the Funny Cide on New York Showcase Day, and the trainer’s judgment was vindicated.

Mo Plex barely snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as the even-money favorite. Six furlongs might be too short for him now, since he only just scraped home by a nose in 1:11.72. That was slower than the 1:11.31 clocked by Accelerating in the companion stakes for two-year-old fillies, the Seeking the Ante S.

While the seven-furlong distance of the Hopeful could have suited him better in principle, Mo Plex ran like a work in progress against an easier bunch in the Funny Cide. Off that evidence, he would have found the Hopeful a tough task at this point. 

Englehart’s postrace comments to the New York Racing Association are revealing.

“I was actually shocked (as the Funny Cide unfolded)," he said. "I’m like, ‘Well, he’s going to run third, second maybe’ at the top of the stretch, eighth pole. He just dug in. He wanted to win.

“He’s still a little green, like he does some things. I was talking to (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.). He said coming out of the gate, he (stumbled and) spotted the field. He went wide. He said he lost three to four lengths today just having to kind of ride him and keep him focused a little bit. …

“I really want to see him stretch out a little bit. I've worked him before where he's worked a half (mile) in :48 and one and decided he wanted to run off for a mile afterward.”

According to Daily Racing Form’s David Grening, Englehart mentioned the Oct. 5 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland as a possible two-turn audition for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. 

Shin Forever bolts up on debut in Japan

Sporting the same colors as Kentucky Derby (G1) third Forever Young, Susumu Fujita’s Shin Forever made a smashing debut at Niigata Aug. 3. 

The white-faced colt with the blue right eye was bred by Airdrie’s Bret Jones in Kentucky. Out of the Pulpit mare Praising, he initially sold for $160,000 as a yearling at Keeneland September. Trainer Hideyuki Mori purchased him for $300,000 as an OBS March juvenile.

Shin Forever was unveiled in a newcomers’ race over a metric mile on turf. The 4.20-1 third choice scampered to the early lead and never looked back, drawing off under good handling by Keita Tosaki. Shin Forever crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths clear, in hand, in 1:35.9 on the firm course.

Returning to the same course and distance for Sunday’s Niigata Nisai (G3), Shin Forever disappointed in ninth. The 7-2 second choice set a faster early pace than he had on debut and wilted in the stretch. Perhaps he was recoiling from his sparkling first-out effort 22 days previously. 

The Breeders’ Cup website lists Shin Forever among the Juvenile contenders. Mori is always keen to compete in the championships, but stay tuned for news on his status.

Kale’s Angel gets his wings at Del Mar

The Peter Miller-trained Kale’s Angel benefited from better tactics second time out to win handsomely at Del Mar on Friday. Both starts came in five-furlong turf sprints, but he showed much more rallying from off the pace than he did when leading early on debut Aug. 2.

Reserved in fourth by Reylu Gutierrez, Kale’s Angel leveled off beautifully down the lane to win going away by two lengths. The $150,000 OBS April juvenile clocked :57.69.

Like Shin Forever, Kale’s Angel hails from his sire’s home of Airdrie. He was bred by the farm’s proprietor, the late Gov. Brereton Jones. Kale’s Angel is also bred on a similar cross, being out of the Malibu Moon mare Love Affair.

It’s worth watching how these A.P. Indy-line mares fare with Complexity. His paternal grandsire, Distorted Humor, famously crossed well with that tribe, as does Complexity’s own sire, Maclean’s Music.

Moreover, it gives an opportunity to double up on A.P. Indy’s sire, Seattle Slew. Complexity counts Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown legend, as an ancestor on his dam’s side.

Sweet Mo B becomes a two-time winner

At Horseshoe Indianapolis on Monday, Sweet Mo B captured a six-furlong allowance to join the ranks of Complexity’s multiple winners. The other three — Mo Plex, Black Forza, and Mensa — all achieved that status in black-type events. (Mensa was included in the first installment.) 

Sweet Mo B has a more blue-collar profile as a $40,000 maiden claiming winner. But the John Ennis pupil showed good speed Monday to prevail over allowance rivals in 1:12.32, advancing his record to 2-for-5.