Englehart ‘Leaning Toward’ Jim Dandy For Mo Plex originally appeared on Paulick Report.

R and H Stable’s dual graded stakes-winning New York-bred Mo Plex worked Friday over the main track at Saratoga Race Course as he eyes the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun on July 26 here.

The sophomore son of Complexity worked a solo half-mile in 49.25 seconds under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode the colt to victories in his first three races last year that included the G3 Sanford and state-bred Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital here.

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said he was pleased with the breeze, and that the colt is likely to be rerouted from the G1 NYRA Bets Haskell on July 19 at Monmouth Park to the Jim Dandy in his own backyard.

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“Irad was very happy and it seemed like the work went really well,” Englehart said. “His goal this week was to kind of slow him down and gradually ask him to keep going, and he did really well. He galloped out in 14 and two and he was tough to pull up, so everything seems like it’s still going well. It looks like we’re leaning towards the Jim Dandy now.”

Both the Jim Dandy and the Haskell are slated to feature this division’s top two contenders, as G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets-winner Sovereignty is targeting the former and G1 Preakness-winner Journalism is likely for the latter. With no easy task in either race, Englehart said it made sense to stay home for the battle rather than ship to New Jersey.

“When you have to run against Sovereignty, even if we ran the race in Mo Plex’s stall I don’t think we’d have the advantage,” Englehart said, with a laugh. “The owners are local and this is where they originally wanted to run – you pick your poison. Do you run against Journalism in the Haskell with a heavier pace, or do you stay here and run against Sovereignty with a race that is probably going to have fewer horses and you don’t have to travel?

“For me, I live in Schuylerville and I absolutely love this meet, so I would much rather run here than anywhere else,” Englehart added.

Mo Plex is currently in career-best form after taking the G3 Ohio Derby by two lengths last out on June 21 in his first foray around two turns, stalking the pace in second early under Joseph Ramos and pouncing to the lead in the stretch to drive home strongly over the fast Thistledown dirt. He completed the nine furlongs in 1:50.72 and earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

A model of consistency, Mo Plex has hit the board in each of his eight outings, including an additional stakes win in the seven-furlong Listed Bay Shore two starts back at Aqueduct Racetrack and a G1 placing when third to Chancer McPatrick in the Champagne in October there.

“I still think his best races are in front of him, so hopefully he continues to prove me right,” Englehart said. “He just keeps going and going – Irad said today that he couldn’t pull him up until the three-eighths pole. He was going out the gap before he could pull him up. It’s always been him. He absolutely loves to train and loves to race, and I just try to stay out of his way. I pick a spot and work from there, and we try to keep him happy.”

Bred by Everything’s Cricket Racing, Mo Plex is out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Mo Joy and was a $45,000 purchase at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.