Effinex, General a Rod Ship in for Big 'Cap

With the likes of California Chrome   and Hoppertunity heading overseas for the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 12 appears primed for East Coast invaders looking to take advantage.



Enter Tri-Bone Stables' Effinex—last-out winner of the Clark Handicap (gr. I) in November and a notable second to American Pharoah   in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I)—who is set to make his 5-year-old debut in the Big 'Cap.



The son of Mineshaft   trained by Jimmy Jerkens shipped into Southern California March 3, already got a work over the Santa Anita Park dirt course March 8 (four furlongs in :47 4/5), and will be the 123-pound high weight in Saturday's feature on a loaded 11-race card at the Arcadia, Calif. track.

NOVAK: Effinex Lands Grade I in Clark Handicap



Jerkens assistant Kent Sweezey said they too considered shipping to Dubai, but ultimately landed on the shorter trip out west.



"Initially, we were going to give him a break after (the Clark)," Sweezey said. "Then the World Cup was considered, but we felt he wouldn't be ready to go all the way to Dubai, so we decided the Santa Anita Handicap was the next-best option."



Effinex isn't the only one shipping in. Skychai Racing and Starlight Racing's graded stakes-placed General a Rod also made the trip from Florida, following an allowance victory at Gulfstream Park in his 2016 debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. The 5-year-old son of Roman Ruler was a runner in all three Triple Crown races in 2014 (11th, fourth, and seventh, respectively), and was a stakes winner at 3 and 4, but has yet to find the wire first in seven graded-stakes tries.



Of the local runners, KM Racing Enterprise and J K Racing's Imperative stands out as a top contender. The Richard Baltas-trained son of Bernardini   last won 15 starts back in the Charles Town Classic (gr. II), but has run second in his last three races, most heartbreakingly last time out in the San Antonio (gr. II) Feb. 6, when he lost by a nose to Hoppertunity.

BALAN: Hoppertunity Edges Imperative in San Antonio



Reddam Racing's Donworth also looms from the Doug O'Neill barn. In his first race for O'Neill last time out in the San Antonio, the lightly raced 4-year-old colt by Tiznow   came in third, only a half-length back of Imperative and Hoppertunity, and figures to improve in his second trip over the Santa Anita main track.



Under the radar a bit is grade I winner Hard Aces. Since closing from last to win the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (gr. I) in June, the Hard Spun   horse trained by John Sadler hasn't finished better than fourth in his last five starts and came in fifth in the San Antonio.



The rest of the field is composed of runners ambitiously taking a shot at a grade I win. Point Piper finished third last time out in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III), Melatonin continues to try dirt after running second sprinting down the Santa Anita hillside turf course in the Oct. 3 Eddie D Stakes (gr. IIIT), stakes winner Class Leader is coming off a fourth-place finish on the turf in the San Marcos (gr. IIT), and Cyrus Alexander—once a $1.7 million yearling purchase—will look to earn his first overall stakes win or placing at the top level.