Jerkens Returns with Effinex, Shaman Ghost

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens will send out a pair of horses as he tries to win the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) for the first time and secure the third Breeders' Cup win of his career Nov. 5 at Santa Anita Park.

Jerkens is back in the Classic with Tri-Bone Stables' Effinex, who finished second to American Pharoah   in last year's Classic at Keeneland. He also will send out Stronach Stables' Shaman Ghost, who enters off a narrow victory in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course.

Grade I winner Effinex also enters the 1 1/4-mile Classic off a solid effort as he finished second, a half-length behind Classic rival Hoppertunity, in the Oct. 8 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park after leading that 1 1/4-mile race early.

"They're coming in strong; that's what you want. You want them coming in off of good races at least," Jerkens said with a laugh. "It's certainly a tougher spot, that's for sure. But everything is going well with both horses."

This will be the first time Jerkens, 57, has started more than one horse in the same Breeders' Cup race. He'll be looking for his first Breeders' Cup victory since scoring with Corinithian in the 2007 Dirt Mile at Monmouth Park. Jerkens also sent out Artie Schiller   to victory in the 2005 NetJets Mile (gr. IT) at Belmont.

After his runner-up finish in the Classic last season, Effinex closed out 2015 with a three-quarter-length victory over Hoppertunity in the Clark Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs. This season Effinex has won two of six starts, picking up grade II wins in the Oaklawn Handicap and in the Suburban Handicap, winning that race a second straight year.

Effinex has raced steadily this season, beginning the year with a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) in March. That experience at Santa Anita could benefit the New York-based runner.

"I'd have to think it would," Jerkens said. "It's a nice track that he bounces over; he likes that as opposed to a cuppy track, so that's good."

Jerkens said the durability of the 5-year-old son of Mineshaft   is a blessing.

"He's just a classy horse," Jerkens said. "We try to take care of him and keep his spirits up, like we do with any horse."

Jerkens took over the training of Shaman Ghost late last year when Stronach Stables sent him a half-dozen horses. Jerkens said he previously trained horses for Frank Stronach about 10 years ago.

"It came together around Thanksgiving last fall. Mr. Stronach called me himself and asked if I'd like to train some horses for him when I got down to Florida and I said, 'sure,'" Jerkens said. "I didn't think they were going to be older horses. I thought they'd all be younger ones."

Jerkens felt bad because he is good friends with Brian Lynch, who saddled Shaman Ghost to victory in last year's Queen's Plate Stakes at Woodbine.

"I told Brian if you get a chance to get on the phone and do something to get the horses back, there's no hard feelings," Jerkens said. "But he said when they make a decision, they make it; and he wished me luck."

A 4-year-old son of Stronach Stables' 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner and Hall of Famer Ghostzapper  , Shaman Ghost has won half his four starts this year. In the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn (gr. II), he overpowered nine rivals to win by more than four lengths. 

He secured his first grade I win in his most recent start, rallying from fifth to edge Mubtaahij by a head to win the 1 1/8-mile Woodward. Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Stakes (both gr. I) winner Frosted finished third, a head behind Mubtaahij in the blanket finish.

Jerkens said it's good to know that the 1 1/4-mile distance will not be a problem for Shaman Ghost. He assessed the Brooklyn field as being a cut below the very top horses, but noted that Shaman Ghost won that race easily before he scored a win over a top horse in Frosted in the Woodward.