Effinex Pulls Upset of Empire Classic

Tri-Bone Stables' Effinex pulled the upset Oct. 18 in the $300,000 Empire Classic, reeling in pacesetter So Lonesome to score at odds of 17-1 in the anchor race of Empire Showcase Day, the card for New York-breds at Belmont Park .

Wearing blinkers for the first time—the same blinkers won by stablemate Wicked Strong to notch his victory in the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) earlier this season—the 3-year-old Mineshaft   colt tracked well back in the nine-horse field behind So Lonesome's fractions of :23.66 and :47.09.

Jockey Angel Arroyo got Effinex rolling with a good outside move coming off the far turn, and although he still had 3 1/2 lengths to make up on So Lonesome after three-quarters in 1:11.31, he rolled up to collar the front-runner through a 1:35.92 mile before surging in front by a neck. Final time for the 1 1/8-mile event was 1:48.51 on a fast track.

"Since I've gotten him, he's gotten stronger," said trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who picked up the colt from trainer David Smith after Effinex ran sixth in a Belmont allowance race in June. "He ran very well in Saratoga. We didn't have a lot of time to get him ready; we threw a lot of work at him and he handled it and ran very well."

Effinex was second by four lengths to So Lonesome in the Aug. 24 Albany Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in his first start for Jerkens, then ran third in a Sept. 28 optional claimer back at Belmont prior to his Empire Classic score. 

"His last race was a little bit of a disappointment," Jerkens said. "I think it had more to do with the track, when you couldn't gain on anyone and horses got discouraged coming from behind. But he's done everything right since then and we figured we'd take a shot. We figured the extra eighth of a mile wouldn't hurt, either."

Effinex returned $37.20, $12.80, and $8.30 while So Lonesome paid $5.60 and $3.90 with Beautyinthepulpit bringing $4.60. Saratoga Snacks, Eye Luv Lulu, Awesome Vision, 5-2 favorite Sioux, Sinistra, and Empire Dreams completed the order of finish.  

"I followed (So Lonesome) all the way," Arroyo said. "I stayed on the rail and waited for the stretch, and at the eighth pole I took him outside. My horse, he responded. (The blinkers) made a big difference today. He liked the blinkers; that's why he ran better. He was better at the finish. He ran great."

The Empire Classic victory improved Effinex's earnings to $328,350 for a 3-1-2 record from 10 starts. He was bred by Dr. Russell S. Cohen out of the E Dubai mare What a Pear.

One race prior in the $250,000 Empire Distaff Handicap, Princess Violet crushed the field by 5 1/2 lengths as the 6-5 favorite under jockey Jose Ortiz, who won his third straight race on the card. Barry K. Schwartz's 3-year-old homebred Officer filly ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.81 to collect her first stakes score for trainer Mike Hushion . 

"It was sweet," Hushion said. "She relaxed better than ever and when Jose stepped on the gas, she came on. It was perfect; pretty simple. We didn't really want her on the lead because we were afraid someone would take premature runs at her, so we were glad to have targets. Jose said she felt better than ever. After today, (two turns) are certainly not out of the question."

Princess Violet returned $4.70, $3.30, and $2.30 while Flipcup paid $4.40 and $2.70 with Carameaway bringing $2.20 in third. The winner came off an Oct. 5 allowance score by four lengths sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont.

"She won two weeks ago and I think that race set it up for her perfectly," Ortiz said. "Mike did a good job with her. She broke good... and I knew I was in perfect position. I waited as long as I could, and when I made my move, I had a lot of horse. Today, everything set up perfect."