Complexion favored in opening stake
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Trainer Danny Gargan has had a good year at Saratoga Race Course already and the first race of the meet has yet to even be run.
That’s largely in part to the 52-year-old trainer’s Belmont Stakes win at the first Belmont at Saratoga, won by his 3-year-old long shot Dornoch at the juicy odds of 17-1 in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000 people.
Now, on opening day of the Spa meet, Gargan looks to keep his streak of success alive and well in Thursday’s feature contest, the $175,000 Schuylerville Stakes for 2year-old fillies.
To achieve that, Gargan is turning to Complexion, a 2023 $400,000 Keeneland purchase that captured her debut by 6 1/2 lengths on a fast track at a short price.
“She’s doing really well,” Gargan said of the filly who is 7-2 on the morning line. “She’s a really talented young horse, obviously — the first time out she went off at 6-5. We like her a lot. Hopefully we have a clean break and get a clean trip and she can get the job done.”
The daughter by Complexity out of Rushin No Blushin went five furlongs in 58.1 for her ultra-impressive, gate-towire winning debut last month at Aqueduct, and she’ll have Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the irons to do it once again Thursday.
“Johnny’s really confident in her,” Gargan said. “He really likes her. We’re just blessed and lucky that he stuck with her.”
Velazquez likely had a choice among several contenders in this race for promising juvenile fillies after riding Long Neck Paula to victory at Churchill Downs in May in her debut as well. Ultimately, Velazquez chose to stick with Complexion against this group.
In addition to Wesley Ward’s Long Neck Paula (8-1), the field of 11 includes a pair of Steve Asmussen trainees — Aoraki (8-1) and Viggidal (9-2) — Todd Pletcher’s Vino Rosso filly Carmen’s Candy Jar (6-1), and Jena Antonucci’s Whatintheliteral (10-1), a winner on the first card of the four days of the Belmont Racing Festival last month.
And, while Complexion will surely have her hands full against this salty and potential-laden group, Gargan thinks his filly has what it takes.
“She’s doing good,” he said of the swift chestnut filly who’s had an impressive workout tab in the mornings at Saratoga coming off of that lone victory.
If she runs her race today — or anything close to it — Gargan said he will have his eyes on bigger tests before the end of the meet.
“This is hopefully a springboard for the race at the end of the meet, the Spinaway,” he said. “That’s the long-term goal. If we run (first or second) here, and we come out of it good, we’ll wait and go in there.”
“This is hopefully a springboard for the race at the end of the meet, the Spinaway. That’s the long-term goal. If we run (first or second) here, and we come out of it good, we’ll wait and go in there.”
Complexion’s trainer Danny Gargan