Trainer Danny Gargan’s stable is humming along at a nice clip in the wake of celebrating a little over a week ago his first Grade I win with Dornoch (Good Magic) in the Belmont S. and with Society Man (Good Magic) taking the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs a day later. Gargan stopped by the TDN Writers’ Room podcast for a conversation.
Finally, to cap his stellar week, Complexion (Complexity) broke her maiden at first asking during the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday, which earned the 2-year-old filly ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors. Now, the trainer is making summer plans.
A half-sister to MGISW and current sire Jack Christopher (Munnings), Complexion cleared the field by 6 1/2 lengths under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez.
“Johnny came back and said she’s so impressive,” said Gargan. “She stumbled at the start really bad and she just picked herself up and cleared the field pretty easily. That’s hard to do. If she didn’t stumble, she would’ve been five or six lengths ahead in a minute. She’s really talented.”
Gargan said he will point the juvenile to the Schuylerville S. on Thursday, July 11, which is Opening Day of Saratoga Race Course. The GI Spinaway S. Aug. 31 will be the larger target.
Complexion | Coglianese
“The stake is coming up at Saratoga, we will train her like we are going there,” Gargan said. “Hopefully everything goes well, and we make it there. She’s a talented filly, we will see how she’s doing and then the Spinaway would be the ultimate goal.”
The conditioner said Complexion, a chestnut with a distinct white blaze, boasts physical similarities to Jack Christopher and was pleased to see Friday’s performance resemble his ability well.
“Their faces are so much alike, said Gargan. “Their legs even. She definitely resembles him a ton and she’s got talent like him. Knock on wood, I’m blessed, I trained a full-brother to a Derby-winner [Mage] and won the Belmont, and now I have Jack Christopher‘s half-sister and she looks talented. A lot of people say you can’t get siblings that can run, but we’ve been blessed lately.”
Speaking of Dornoch, the plan is still to point him towards the GII Jim Dandy S. July 27 at Saratoga or the GI Haskell S. July 20 at Monmouth Park, with the long-term goal being the GI Travers S. Aug. 24 at the Spa.
Gargan said that Society Man will aim for the GIII West Virginia Derby Aug. 4 at Mountaineer Racetrack, but will also nominate him for the Jim Dandy.
“I’ll nominate him to it [the Jim Dandy] and see what it is coming up like, but I’m leaning towards the West Virginia Derby with him. I’ll keep Dornoch probably in New York, who could run in the Haskell or Jim Dandy,” Gargan said.
