Mo Plex Takes Next Step Forward for R and H Stable

Mo Plex, the newest poster boy for New York breds everywhere, will take his talents to new heights when he starts in the July 26 $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old son of Complexity, bought for a mere $45,000 as a 2-year-old, has continued to defy the odds at every turn: winning the Sanford Stakes (G3) at the Spa as a 2-year-old and most recently extending his speed to 1 1/8 miles with a victory in the Ohio Derby (G3). Win, lose, or draw, however, Mo Plex will give his trio of New York-based owners—Rick Hiles, Howard Reed, and Geoff Cannon of R and H Stable—the ultimate thrill when he takes on some of the top 3-year-olds in the nation at their favorite racetrack. Hiles and Reed spoke with BloodHorse about their support of the New York-bred racing program, the patient approach they've taken with Mo Plex, and the real reason why their stable star raced in the Ohio Derby (G3). BloodHorse: When and why did you get involved in racehorse ownership? Howard Reed: Well, if you go to the races all the time, you start thinking it would be fun to own one. It's as simple as that. Rick Hiles: So, Howard owned horses first and we became friends. In 2000, I joined a group of owners he is with, and then later on, we formed R and H Stable. I live about a half-mile from Saratoga Race Course. We go to the races pretty much every day when the meet is here. BH: How many horses do you have now? Hiles: We have four horses now in training. We have three 2-year-olds other than 'Mo' that are in various stages on the racetrack. BH: It looks like all of your horses are in training with Jeremiah Englehart. Can you talk about that relationship? Reed: We were looking to change trainers. And the son of one of my friends is very involved in racing and he knows what we like to do, which is race New York breds; we like to race at Saratoga, that's our focus. Find young horses. We don't want to get involved in these 5,000-people syndicates or something like that; we like having our own little operation. He recommended Jeremiah. So we all sat down at the Spring Street Deli and just hit it off. We've had our horses with Jeremiah for three years now. Hiles: Jeremiah's a local guy, too. He grew up in Schuylerville. We like trainers that are centered in Saratoga, because that's what we're centered on. BH: What do you like about the New York-bred program? Reed: It's an easier program for smaller people to have a more meaningful presence here. The stakes aren't as large. The purse structure is excellent, so you have the chance to not lose everything you have buying New York breds. You have a greater chance of breaking even or even making a little money. It's wonderful for small owners. BH: With your involvement in the New York-bred program, is the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-Bred Sale circled on your calendar every year? Hiles: We've bought horses there before, yes. It depends where we're at; if we want to buy a new one at the time or not. We always go over there, though, and get a couple drinks and watch the horses. Do you know who's on the cover of their catalog this year? Mo Plex. Even though he wasn't bought there, he was an RNA (for $27,000 at the 2023 sale); they still put him on the cover. BH: Although he RNA'd at the New York bred sale, Mo Plex sold to Englehart for $45,000 at last year's OBS April Sale? Do you remember what you guys liked about him at the sale? Reed: I told Jeremiah we wanted to get one horse that can run at Saratoga (in 2024). I said I didn't want a horse that could run after the meet; I wanted a horse I could see run at Saratoga. I gave him a budget, $75k or something like that. Well, he followed instructions to a 'T.' BH: And Mo Plex actually broke his maiden before the Saratoga meet started, winning his debut by 10 lengths at Aqueduct last June. Were you surprised to see him win like that? Reed: I was expecting him to win, but not by that much. If we hadn't done well in that race, I would've been very disappointed. BH: After Mo Plex's successful 2-year-old season, which included stakes wins in the Sanford and Funny Cide Stakes, what was the plan for Mo Plex going into the new year? Were there ever any Triple Crown ambitions? Hiles: We took a shot in the Champagne, and he ran well, but not anything great. Then he didn't win the Sleepy Hollow. And then he came back as a 3-year-old in the Gander, and that was after a 4 1/2-month layoff. He ran well but couldn't get there. Then we ran him against open company in the Bay Shore Stakes at 7 furlongs and he won, but just barely. He didn't do anything in my mind at that point that separated himself from New York-bred company. Reed: I don't like to push horses too hard myself. I've seen too many horses that have done well, and they run them over their head, and they never do anything ever again. Hiles: Exactly. We kept him within himself. He got plenty of time off over the winter, let him mature, and let him get bigger and stronger. And knock on wood, it seems like it's worked out very well. BH: What was behind the decision to run Mo Plex in the Ohio Derby? Hiles: It actually wasn't really our decision. Our original plan was to run in the (June 4) Mike Lee for New York breds during Belmont week. But then Jeremiah's barn was quarantined when one of our 2-year-olds actually contracted strangles. So we were quarantined for two weeks, which meant we couldn't run. Thank God, they gave us our own training time so we could still go out and train. Mo Plex was just dying to run. And we really wanted to run him in June. Jeremiah looked at the options and he went with the Ohio Derby. Howard and I both looked at each other, and we're like, 'What?' Two turns, open company, 1 1/8 miles. We just hadn't considered him a 1 1/8 horse since he had run a mile three times already and never won. We just thought, 'What the hell.' Jeremiah's been saying to us, 'He can go longer, he can go longer.' BH: Mo Plex took his talents to the next level with his win in the Ohio Derby, beating a field of quality 3-year-olds and some Triple Crown race alumni. What did you think of his performance? Reed: We were very impressed with the way he won. Hiles: It was the first time he had separated himself. He won going away. The jockey (Joseph Ramos) said he could barely pull him up, so Howard and I were very happily surprised. Reed: He also ran his best speed figure in that race, so he took a big step forward. BH: Mo Plex will make his next start at Saratoga in the July 26 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2). How do you feel about his chances coming into the race and taking on division leader Sovereignty as well as top 3-year-olds Sandman and Baeza? Hiles: The one thing we know is that he's going to run his heart out. In every one of his races, he's always right there and never gives up. I don't know if he can take down those horses, but the way he ran in his last race, he deserves a shot to be there. We've been pretty conservative with his campaign so far, but he's shown us he wants to take it up a notch. He's 2-for-2 at Saratoga—that's always a good betting angle. He's going to go out of his barn and walk across the street. BH: What are some campaign goals you have for Mo Plex for the remainder of the year? Reed: We want to look very carefully at what happens in the Jim Dandy, and then we'll see. There are options. There are New York-bred options we'd want to explore. The Albany Stakes comes up timely after this race, that's 1 1/8 miles against New York-breds. We should be a heavy favorite in there.