Effinex Hits the Road to Arkansas

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is plotting a racing schedule for newly crowned New York-bred Horse of the Year Effinex, who worked five furlongs in 1:02.52 April 7 at Belmont Park.

The first stop is the April 16 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. After that, the 5-year-old son of Mineshaft   will target New York's premier races for older males, including the June 11 Brooklyn Invitational (gr. II), and the July 9 Suburban Handicap (gr. II), a race the horse won last year.

BALAN: Effinex Outlasts Tonalist at Wire in Suburban

Last time out, Effinex finished third as the favorite in the March 12 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) when making his season debut. The horse who won the Clark Handicap (gr. I) and finished second to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah   in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) ran in the Santa Anita Handicap with a case of the hives, which Jerkens said still puzzles him.

"Still don't know what is causing it," Jerkens said following Effinex's work. "The (hives) are still popping up every so often, but not to the degree it was (in California).

"I don't know (if it had an effect on his performance)," the trainer added. "People say (hives) come from stress. It's hard for me to believe that because he has been in a lot of stressful (situations) before that. I don't know if I buy that one."

NOVAK: Effinex Lands Grade I in Clark Handicap

Effinex, who races for 84-year-old Bernice Cohen's Tri-Bone Stables, and was bred by the owner's son, Dr. Russell Cohen, is scheduled to fly to Arkansas April 11.