Effinex finds redemption in Suburban repeat, Samraat a game second

[1]

NYRA/Susie Raisher

By Sarah Mace

Reunited with regular jockey Mike Smith and back to his home oval, Effinex put his mysterious June 18 clunker in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs far behind him, with a repeat victory in the Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap on Stars & Stripes Saturday at Belmont Park. A resurgent Samraat, who set the pace, finished an ultra-game second to produce a New York-bred exacta in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile race.

When entries were drawn for the Suburban, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said “I don’t know what happened [to Effinex] last time [in the Stephen Foster, where he finished sixth as the 3-5 favorite under Gary Stevens]. He ran kind of wide. Maybe he didn’t like that, but we’ll give it another go.” Drawn in post four of seven, 122-pound highweight Effinex was 2-1 second choice by a nickle behind favorite Mubtaahij.

Effinex settled in second position after the break, a length behind a pacesetting Samraat (11-1), who carved out moderate early fractions of 25.31 and 49.34 after exiting post six.

The two New York-breds continued one-two for the length of the backstretch, but midway around the far turn Effinex began to press harder, coming up on even terms with his rival. The pair raced nose-to-nose approaching the quarter pole, and set up for a hammer-and-tongs battle to the wire.

The thrilling head-to-head tussle lasted the length of stretch, until Effinex surged in the final strides, to post a neck win over Samraat. Mubtaahij, who advanced a bid at the rail, finished 1 1/4 back in third. After a mile in 1:36.50, the final time of the race was 2:01.04. [VIDEO[2]]

Mike Smith said, “He ran wonderful. I got him away good. I got to the outside and got in comfortable, and in a rhythm. He’s funny sometimes. You have to work with him, but I’ve been so lucky to ride him at the right time. The post was right; everything always seems to be right. I just got blessed again.”

[3]

NYRA/Chelsea Durand

Samraat’s jockey Jose Ortiz said, “Everything went like we planned. He broke great and I sent him to the lead. We set very good fractions for the distance. Mike [Smith] never let me go more than one or two lengths in front of him. He sat right there, half a length behind me, the whole way. When I asked him to go, he did. We sprinted home. I got beat by a nice horse. I’m glad to see Samraat back in form.”

Jimmy Jerkens commented, “All things came together. I guess [Effinex]’s a natural at a mile-and-a-quarter. He’s a grinder. It looks like he can out-grind anybody out there, it looks like. We’ll take it.”

This second Suburban win for Effinex also had a special place in the conditioner’s heart. “I always loved this race,” said Jerkens. “When I was a little kid, my father [late Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens] won this race a bunch of times with Beau Purple. He used to love to run in it any chance he could. He was a New York guy and those New York handicap races always meant a lot to him, and to me too. It’s great to win here.”

Dave Grening noted that “Effinex is the first horse to win back-to-back Suburbans since Devil His Due in 1993-94, who was trained by Allen Jerkens. In 1994, the horse was ridden by Mike Smith.”

As to the future for Effinex, Jerkens said, “You can’t rule anything out. [The Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at Saratoga] is a little close. It all depends on how he’s doing, and who’s running. Sometimes it’s better just keep running.”

Effinex is a five-time graded stakes winner, topped by his victory last year the Grade 1 Clark and runner-up finish to Triple Crown hero American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which earned him the title of New York-bred Horse of the Year. He has a record of nine wins, two seconds and four thirds in 22 starts with earnings of $2,962,950, which puts him third place on the all-time New York-bred earnings list, behind 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide ($3,529,412) and A Shin Forward, who raced exclusively in Japan ($3,421,360).

Bred by Dr. Russell S. Cohen and campaigned by his mother Bernice’s Tri-Bone Stables, Effinex is the only foal out of multiple stakes-winning Tri-Bone homebred What a Pear by E Dubai. What a Pear’s dam Perfect Pair was purchased by Tri-Bone as a juvenile at OBS in 1999 for $28,000. The stable is named after Cohen’s three sons, who called one another “bonehead” when they were growing up.

Endnotes:

[Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7_9_16-effinex-Suburban-16-credit-susie-raisher.jpg
VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20160709&track=BED&race=9
[Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7_9_16-fish-trappe-road-credit-chelsea-durand21.jpg

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/09/effinex-suburban-16/

Fish Trappe Road comes up big in Grade 3 Dwyer

[1]

NYRA/Chelsea Durand

By Sarah Mace

Up-and-coming sophomore Fish Trappe Road doubled down on his strong runner-up finish to Tom’s Ready in the Woody Stephens on June 11, when he charged home from a stalking position to score an impressive 1 1/4-length victory in Belmont’s Grade 3, $500,000 Dwyer on Belmont’s Stars & Stripes Day. The race, in its 99th running, is carded for 3-year-olds at one mile.

Trained by Bret Calhoun for Martin Racing Stable LLC, Fish Trappe Road (3-1 second choice) got away with the vanguard from his outside post under Luis Saez, but took back to stalk speedy duelers The Great Whiteway and Laoban, who clocked a first half mile in 46.47.

Along the backstretch and into the far turn Fish Trappe Road raced a length and a half behind the front pair in tandem with Economic Model, while keeping the favorite penned in on the dead rail. Midway on the far turn, he began his bid in earnest.

Swinging out three wide into the lane, Fish Trappe Road took command from new leader Laoban in upper stretch, edged ahead, and finished with gusto 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Economic Model, who finally made his way off the rail, re-rallied and nosed closer Tale of S’avall for second.

After six furlongs in 1:10.42, Fish Trappe Road completed the mile in 1:34.84. [VIDEO[2]]

Jockey Luis Saez commented, “Very nice trip. He broke good. He usually breaks very quick and fights you the whole time. But today, he was so relaxed. He was perfect and he finished strong.”

[3]

NYRA/Adam Coglianese

Bret Calhoun followed up with a comment on the race dynamics and high praise for Saez’ ride. “When the post positions came out, I felt really, really good. It gave us a lot of options out there,” said Calhoun. “He didn’t have to be pushed. Luis rode him perfectly. I’ve been playing this race out in my head for a couple of days since it was drawn, and it played out exactly the way I thought it would.”

Calhoun also observed of the colt in general, “He’s matured a lot. He was a big kid at two, played 24-7. Now, it’s all just coming together mentally and physically.”

At two Fish Trappe Road broke his maiden in his fourth start on September 11, and closed out the year as the runner-up after a pace-setting bid in the Sleepy Hollow. This year, off the board in the Grade 2 Lacomte, he won an open allowance before his eye-opening performance in the Woody Stephens.

For Fish Trappe Road’s next start at Saratoga, Calhoun is considering the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 30, or the 7-furlong, Grade 1 King’s Bishop on August 27.

A handsome grey son of Trappe Shot, and his sire’s first stakes winner, Fish Trappe Road was bred in partnership by Rhapsody Farm in Plymouth, where he was foaled, with Jon Davis. He is out of Electric Shock, a New York-bred stakes winner bred by Driver-Ferguson, who was purchased in foal by Rhapsody Farm at the 2012 Keeneland November ale for $22,000.

Electric Shock has produced six winners, including three more stakes performers, All Electric, Electric Chant and Electric Temptress. She has a yearling colt by Shanghai Bobby.

A $140,000 Fasig-Tipton New York preferred Saratoga yearling, Fish Trappe Road was purchased the following year at OBS March by Martin Racing Stables for $95,000. A winner of three of nine starts with three seconds, he has earned $518,185.

Endnotes:

[Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7_9_16-fish-trappe-road-credit-chelsea-durand2.jpg
VIDEO: http://www.nytbreeders.org/includes/video-player.cfm?date=20160709&track=BED&race=7
[Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/7_9_16-fish-trappe-road-2.jpg

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/07/09/fish-trappe-road-dwyer/