First-crop sires: Kale’s Angel heralds promise for Complexity

First-crop sire Complexity has furnished several additional stakes performers since our last installment, chief among them Kale’s Angel, who starred in the Advent S. on opening day at Oaklawn Park. 

Although Complexity has been relegated to fourth on the North American freshman sires’ list by earnings, just shy of the $2 million mark, the Airdrie stallion continues to boast a healthy 17.6% rate of black-type horses to runners. That’s higher than the three stallions with more progeny earnings – McKinzie (8.8%), Vekoma (16.7%), and Tiz the Law (16.7%). 

Complexity remains tied with McKinzie and Tiz the Law by the number of graded winners, responsible for two apiece. Complexity’s came earlier in the season, Sanford (G3) scorer Mo Plex and Richmond (G2) hero Black Forza. Both have competed creditably at the top level this fall, as recounted below.

As the juvenile races have gotten longer, the momentum in the freshman sires’ standings has shifted away from Complexity. That’s not altogether surprising given Complexity’s own resume, although his progeny’s average winning distance of 5.7 furlongs is perhaps a shade shorter than might have been expected so far. Nevertheless, he’s imparting class along with speed and precocity. And considering how Complexity developed further at four, his offspring are far from maxing out at two. 

Kale’s Angel takes flight in Advent

Kale’s Angel started out in turf sprints, breaking his maiden in his second attempt at Del Mar. The Peter Miller pupil sent mixed signals when stepping up to stakes over a grassy mile. A closing fourth in the Zuma Beach (G3), he tried to set the pace in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. on Breeders’ Cup Friday and faded to 11th of 14. 

Shortening up to 5 1/2 furlongs and switching to dirt at Oaklawn, Kale’s Angel proved to be an aptly-named winner of the Advent. He chased the pace set by 1-2 favorite Innovator, took over at the top of the stretch, and drew off by 5 3/4 lengths. His final time of 1:04.40 earned a 97 Brisnet Speed rating. 

Innovator was wheeling back only nine days after coming within a head of highly-regarded Barnes in a maiden at Churchill Downs. But his 87 Speed figure was pretty consistent with his norm.

Kale’s Angel left a favorable impression in his first try on the main track. 

“He really did (take to the dirt),” Miller told Oaklawn publicity. “He trained great on the dirt, so really exciting to see him run like he worked on it. Sometimes, they don’t. But he’s a good horse. I don’t know how far he’ll go, but he’ll get there fast.”

According to Daily Racing Form, Kale’s Angel may well get a chance on the Road to the Kentucky Derby at Oaklawn. His quick-striding action is more redolent of a sprinter than a router, but his first two dams are by Malibu Moon and Giant’s Causeway. 

Tough Catch entered in Sugar Bowl

Tough Catch, who also beat Innovator back in July at Saratoga, has placed in a pair of stakes since his eighth in the Hopeful (G1). Arguably unlucky when second in the Oct. 26 Bowman Mill S. at Keeneland, the Dallas Stewart trainee had to come off the fence to find running room, and his rally fell a half-length short of Long Neck Paula. 

Tough Catch was subsequently a distant runner-up to Keep It Easy in the Nov. 30 Ed Brown S. at Churchill. He’ll get another chance to break through in Saturday’s Sugar Bowl S., one of eight stakes on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day at Fair Grounds. 

Mo Plex places third in Champagne

Complexity’s first stakes winner, Mo Plex, also became his first Grade 1 place-getter when third in the Oct. 5 Champagne (G1). While he was 7 1/2 lengths adrift of the victorious Chancer McPatrick, Mo Plex rallied to finish eight lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart reverted to New York-bred company for the Oct. 27 Sleepy Hollow S. over the same one-turn mile at Aqueduct, and Mo Plex played second fiddle to undefeated Sacrosanct. 

Irish-based Black Forza nearly collected a Group 1 placing himself in the Sept. 28 Middle Park (G1) at Newmarket, where he missed third by just a head on unsuitably soft going. The Michael O’Callaghan trainee was also fourth in his prior raid on Kentucky Downs for the Juvenile Sprint. 

Hollygrove leads other recent stakes performers

Three others by Complexity have earned their first black-type credits. Hollygrove, a debut winner at Churchill back in May, was a half-length second in the Dec. 7 Sandpiper S. at Tampa Bay Downs. 

Kenny Be was runner-up in the Nov. 16 Notebook S. at Aqueduct. The May 22 foal was coming off an 8 1/2-length state-bred maiden romp over the same track and six-furlong trip for David Duggan. 

Valtellina, who won first time out at Saratoga, was best of the rest in the Joseph A. Gimma S. behind the impressive With the Angels. She’s since been unplaced in two other New York-bred stakes. 

Three more have yet to achieve black-type status but are worth mentioning in this context.

Belmond, a winner in Poland, has placed second in a pair of stakes that are not regarded as black-type by international cataloguing standards. Yet they are major juvenile events in his adopted homeland. The Nov. 3 Nagroda Mokotowska serves to identify the early favorite for the Polish Derby. 

Shin Forever, unplaced in three Group races in Japan, was recently second in a turf allowance on Japan Cup Day. The winner, Dianasaal, has collateral form with the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1). 

Back stateside, Complex Music wound up ninth as a 20-1 shot in the Remington Springboard Mile. Still, the fact that Steve Asmussen has given him three stakes opportunities implies that maybe he can find a spot to gain elusive black-type. 

Calling Card among additional winners

Calling Card, like Kale’s Angel, relished the turf-to-dirt move to demolish a New York-bred maiden by 17 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct. That came around a one-turn mile, his stamina enhanced by broodmare sire Tiznow. The Mike Maker trainee tried the two-turn configuration in a salty allowance at Oaklawn this past Friday, finishing third to the Grade 3-placed Sandman. 

Complex Cat, bred by the late Brereton C. Jones, romped in a six-furlong maiden special weight Dec. 2 at Mountaineer by 14 1/2 lengths. Correlation dominated a 4 1/2-furlong maiden at Charles Town for Keri Brion, and Complexity Girl wired an Ohio-bred maiden special weight at Mahoning Valley Nov. 26.

Two to watch

Chases Magic, a $130,000 Keeneland September yearling, was a half-length second on debut for Tom Amoss. A three-quarter brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Unsung Melody, he now tries a turf sprint back at Fair Grounds in Thursday’s sixth race. 

Unraced Casino Bay is in Dubai with high-profile trainer Bhupat Seemar. The $57,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May juvenile is out of stakes victress Bares Tripper, by Sky Mesa, whose five foals to race are all winners.