Adam Coglianese
Tri-Bone Stables’ Effinex (Mineshaft), runaway longshot winner of a first-level state-bred allowance at Aqueduct on Sunday, was one of ten 3-year-olds added to the roster of the 2014 Triple Crown Series during the late nomination period, which closed at Saturday, March 22 at 11:59 p.m. Late nomination to the series requires payment of a $6,000 fee.
Effinex, who has never run on Lasix, debuted on February 9 at Aqueduct for trainer Richard DeMola, finishing mid-pack in a 6-furlong sprint after ducking in at the break. Going off as the favorite in his second start as he stretched out to a mile on March 1, the dark bay finished second by 2 3/4 lengths, but was promoted to first by the stewards because the winner came out in late stretch and forced him to check and lose momentum as he closed with intent.
Making his first start for trainer David Smith on Sunday, and utterly dismissed at 28-1 odds, Effinex relaxed early during the 1 1/16 mile test, advanced three wide in the far turn and, when asked in upper stretch, drew off to a dominant 6 1/4-length victory under jockey Rosario Montanez, besting prohibitive 3-5 favorite Tapitation. The final time for the race was 1:47.18.
According to a tweet by @HRTVinsider on Sunday, the connections of Effinex said several weeks ago that the horse would be pointed to the April 5 Wood Memorial depending on the outcome of Sunday’s race.
Bred by Dr. Russell S. Cohen, who also manages his mother’s Tri-Bone Stables, Effinex is the first and only reported foal out of Dr. Cohen’s homebred multiple stakes winner What a Pear by E Dubai ($161,860). What a Pair is a daughter of Perfect Pair, an unplaced daughter of Pine Bluff purchased by Tri-Bone as a 2-year-old at OBS in 1999.
Cohen told the DRF that named the colt Effinex because he is a divorced father of three children with whom he has no communication. “This horse is dedicated to all divorced fathers who are estranged or alienated from their children.”
