Winning his first graded stakes since taking the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes in 2018, Klaravich Stables' Complexity was a prompt favorite in Saturday's G2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., winning the one-mile contest by 2 1/4 lengths over Code of Honor as the 4-5 favorite in a four-horse field. Stan the Man finished third, with Endorsed fourth.
Complexity, a 4-year-old colt by Maclean's Music bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, was timed in 1:33.82 on a fast track, carrying 119 pounds, five fewer than Code of Honor. He is trained by Chad Brown and was ridden to victory by Jose Ortiz.
He paid $3.80 as the favorite.
Complexity broke on top in the one-turn mile but Ortiz allowed Endorsed to set the early pace, going the opening quarter mile in :23.30 and the half in :46.61. Complexity moved up alongside Endorsed approaching the quarter pole, six furlongs timed in 1:10.05, easily putting away that rival and gearing up for the expected stretch run of Code of Honor.
Last year's G1 Travers winner, Code of Honor, trailed the field early under Javier Castellano, moved up to make a three-wide bid on the turn, but never could catch Complexity, who widened his advantage in the final sixteenth of a mile.
Complexity won his first two starts as a 2-year-old, a maiden race at Saratoga and the G1 Champagne at Belmont, then finished 10th behind Game Winner in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. He returned the following June, finishing last of 11 runners in the G1 Woody Stephens, then went to the sidelines again until late November, winning an allowance race/optional claimer at Aqueduct.
Following a fourth-place finish last Dec. 28 in the G1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, Complexity was given more time off, coming back to win an allowance/optional claiming race at Belmont Park July 2. then was nipped at the wire by Win WIn Win in the G1 Forego at Saratoga in his most recent start.
Complexity's record now stands at five wins and one second from nine starts.
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