New York-Breds at the Races: July 4 to 10 By Bill Heller Meet in Khartoum Wins a Maiden Claimer at 8-1 Odds Stone Bridge Farm s homebred three-year-old filly Meet in Khartoum collared front-running Devil s Silent in deep stretch and posted a length-and-a-quarter victory under Angel Cruz in a $32,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer at Belmont Park Friday. She completed the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.59. Meet in Khartoum was sent off at odds of 8-1 and Devil s Silent went off at 5-1 in the field of nine. Winter Wish, the 3-2 favorite from the nine post under Luis Saez, made a remarkable recovery after a horrendous start to finish third, just a head behind Devil s Silent. There were two inquiries after the race focusing on Winter Wish s poor start and an incident on the backstretch in which Yourcreditisgood fell, dumping rider Rajiv Maragh. Maragh was conscious and taken to a hospital, according to TV Games. The stewards let the original order of finish stand. John Morrison trains Meet in Khartoum, a daughter of Pioneerof the Nile, sire of Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, out of Gleaming Lady by Suave. Meet in Khartoum finished fifth in her debut on dirt, then fourth, fifth and sixth in three tries on grass. All four races were maiden $40,000 claimers. Meet in Khartoum broke seventh, which was better than Winter Wish, who had four poor starts from her previous six races. On Friday, she went to her knees, almost hitting her head on the ground, then leaped up in the air. That left her way behind Devil s Silent, who took a length-and-a-half lead through a :23.34 first quarter. She stretched her lead to three lengths by running a half-mile in :46.74. By then, 4-1 Born to Be Mild had rallied to be a clear second while Meet in Khartoum had advanced into third and Winter Wish worked her way back into contention. Devil s Silent stretched her lead to four lengths before beginning to tire as Meet in Khartoum gobbled up the ground separating her from the leader. Meet in Khartoum surged past Devil s Silent for the win, and Devil s Silent won a photo for second over Winter Wish. Born to Be Mild finished fourth. Old Harbor Connects in Open Allowance Company at 4-5 Thursday Joseph Birnbaum s four-year-old, New York-bred homebred grass filly Old Harbor was given a bit of class relief Thursday at Belmont Park, and she took advantage of the opportunity. Exiting a tiring eighth in a Grade 3 stakes at Monmouth Park at 40-1 odds, Old Harbor dropped to open allowance company and won handily as the 4-5 favorite. Well ridden by Manuel Franco, Old Harbor captured a seven-furlong $80,000 allowance/optional $62,500 claimer by a length and a half in a final time of 1:21.85.
Russel Cash trains Old Harbor, a daughter of Raffie s Majesty out of Royal Mast by Roy who won a $100,000 division of the New York Stallion Stakes last year. Breaking from the five post in the field of six, she set up in third on the outside of two dueling longshot leaders, 25-1 Pixie Dust and 33-1 Ecstatic Miss, through a slow opening quarter of :23.49. Old Harbor remained three-wide in third through a half-mile in :46.94, then made her bid for the lead. She powered to the front, hitting six furlongs in 1:10.26. Franco checked back over his right shoulder to make sure he was clear, and Old Harbor rolled home. New York-bred Vicki s Dancer, sent off at 5-2 odds from the rail under John Velazquez, rallied strongly on the hedge to finish second, a neck in front of 5-1 Carolina Shag. Old Harbor improved her grass record to three for 10 with two seconds and a pair of thirds. She also has a victory and a second from three dirt starts, for total earnings topping $280,000. Earlier Thursday, Magdalena Racing and Chris Sterbenz s two-year-old gray filly Wonderment made a wonderful debut. Despite being steadied heading into the far turn, she came flying down the center of the track under Joel Rosario to win a five-furlong $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies by a length and a half. Sent off at 3-1 odds in a field of eight first-time starters, she won in a final time of :59.42. Kenny McPeek trains Wonderment, a daughter of Cosmonaut out of A Wonder She Is by Three Wonders who was bred by Michael Landers and sold for $24,000 as a weanling. Leaving from the two post, Wonderment broke first but was shuffled back to fourth behind 7-2 Firestar, Nolo Contendere, the 9-5 favorite under Manuel Franco, and 5-1 Frosty Margarita through a :22.85 first quarter. Heading for the turn, Rosario had to steady Wonderment behind Nolo Contendere as Firestar continued to lead under Jose Lezcano through a :46.68 half-mile. Frosty Margarita rallied into second, but Wonderment shot past both Firestar and Frosty Margarita to win going away. Frosty Margarita finished second, a length and a half ahead of Firestar in third. Nolo Contendere finished fourth. Rajiv Maragh hustled Treadway Racing Stable s six-year-old mare Sacred Success to the lead and she never looked back, taking a six-furlong $47,000 New York-bred $25,000 claimer by 5 ½ lengths. Sent off at 5-1 odds in the field of six, Sacred Success won her third race in her last five starts in a final time of 1:11.47. Leah Gyarmati trains Sacred Success, a daughter of Officer out of Val s Diablo by Diablo who was bred by Thomas-Narlinger LLC and AR Properties. Sacred Success raced only once as a five-year-old, winning a New York-bred allowance/optional $40,000 claimer by a length and a half at 9-1 odds on May 7 th, 2014. She didn t return to the races until April 2 nd of this year, finishing fifth in that same company. Dropped into a state-bred $25,000 claimer, she won at 3-1 odds, then finished a badly tiring sixth, also at odds of 3-1.
Departing from the two post Thursday, she beat 9-2 Bridgetta to the lead, hitting the quarter in :22.59 one length ahead. Sacred Success hustled to the half in :45.65 just three-quarters of a length ahead of Henry s Gal, the 9-5 favorite who had moved up three-wide under Irad Ortiz, Jr. At the top of the stretch, Sacred Success drew away from Henry s Gal impressively to win easily. Henry s Gal edged 6-1 What the Frost, ridden by Ortiz s brother Jose, by a nose for second. Bridgetta finished fourth, three lengths behind What the Frost. Sacred Success is now six for 16 lifetime with three seconds, two thirds and more than $270,000 in earnings. Patricia Generazio s four-year-old homebred, the gorgeous gray gelding Momma s Mark, ran down River Knight in late stretch and drew off to a two-length victory under Jose Lezcano in a $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer Thursday. He completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.83. Momma s Mark was sent off at odds of 5-1 and River Knight, who broke from the extreme outside post in the field of 11 under Ruben Silvera, was the 9-5 second choice. A Marked Man, the slight 8-5 favorite on the rail ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, finished third, three-quarters of a length behind River Knight while 2 ¼ lengths clear of 22-1 Hard Rock Playin in fourth. Jim Ryerson trains Momma s Mark, a son of Noonmark out of Momma s Image by Marquetry who was making her third start off a one-year layoff. River Knight broke sharply at the start, but briefly conceded the lead to Hard Rock Playin. Lezcano had Momma s Mark perfectly placed in third through a :23.80 opening quarter-mile. River Knight then took the lead as Momma s Mark moved up into second through a :47.23 halfmile. Momma s Mark went after River Knight around the far turn and wore him down after threequarters in 1:10.75. Momma s Mark then drew away to win comfortably. Momma s Mark now has a victory and two thirds from seven grass starts, for more than $40,000 in earnings. With a powerful rally down the center of the Widener turf course under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Gary Barber s three-year-old colt Bullheaded Boy rallied from last in a field of six Thursday to win his second consecutive race, a mile-and-a-sixteenth $65,000 New York-bred allowance/optional $40,000 claimer, by a length over Wildniteattheopera in a final time of 1:41.19. Bullheaded Boy was sent off at odds of 2-1 and Wildniteattheopera, who made his own strong rally on the hedge under Joel Rosario, went off at 7-1. Todd Pletcher trains Bullheaded Boy, a son of Bullsbay out of Sister Dyer by Pulpit who was bred by Zeke Kobak and Danny Bramer. Pletcher restored blinkers for Bullheaded Boy in his previous start, and he won a New York-bred allowance by a half-length under John Velazquez. Velazquez opted to ride Analysis, who went off the slight 9-5 favorite, for trainer George Weaver.
Balderdash, an 8-1 shot, took an early lead under Ruben Silvera before Wildniteattheopera took a brief lead on his outside after a :24.38 first quarter. Balderdash countered immediately to reclaim the lead through a :47.85 half-mile. Balderdash was challenged again when 47-1 Status of Forces and Analysis moved up two- and three-wide, respectively, in tandem. Both horses drew within a half-length of Balderdash, but Balderdash put both of them away after three-quarters in 1:11.20. Then nine-year-old Compliance Officer, who went off at 2-1 odds under Javier Castellano, moved up on the outside as Wildniteattheopera rallied along the hedge. Wildniteattheopera took another brief lead, but Bullheaded Boy ran him down in deep stretch to win. Wildniteattheopera held second, a length in front of Compliance Officer. Balderdash finished fourth. Bullheaded Boy, who was purchased for $115,000 as a two-year-old last year, is now two for three on grass with one second. He also has a win, two seconds and three thirds from nine dirt starts, for combined earnings of more than $235,000. Javier Castellano got Wounded Warrior Stables three-year-old filly Battle Axe up in the final 20 yards to edge extremely game front-runner Justenufflaughter by a head in Thursday s finale, a mile-and-an-eighth $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer on the grass, in a final time of 1:51.61. Battle Axe, who was adding blinkers on the rail, went off at 3-1 odds. Justenufflaughter was sent off at 24-1 odds under Fernando Jara in the field of 10. Trainer Gary Contessa did a fine job getting Battle Axe, a daughter of War Front out of Pammie From Miami by Cozzene who was bred by Christopher Elser, ready for her first start since mid- September. Battle Axe made all three of her starts in state-bred maiden special weights last year, finishing third, second and seventh at odds of 2-1, 5-2 and 2-1, respectively. Jara gunned Justenufflaughter, who was a front-running second by a length and a quarter at 82-1 odds in his previous start, to the top. He was chased the whole way by Quibbler, the 8-5 favorite under Cornelio Velasquez, through splits of :24.56, :50.99, 1:15.76 and 1:39.52. Quibbler never did get past Justenufflaughter, who dug in tenaciously when Battle Axe, who had rallied from mid-pack, made his final move. Battle Axe just got up to win. Justenufflaughter held second, two lengths ahead of Quibbler. QT Bird, who went off at 99-1 odds, finished fourth. Battle Axe has now earned more than $45,000. Psychiatry Figures It Out and Breaks Her Maiden Wednesday Westbury Stables three-year-old filly Psychiatry, who had shown promise in her first two starts by finishing third and second, got the job done Wednesday at Belmont Park, taking a $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass under Jose Lezcano by three-quarters of a length over Sauvignon. She covered the seven-furlong distance in a sharp 1:21.59. Psychiatry was the 2-1 favorite and Sauvignon, ridden by Joel Rosario, went off at 12-1 odds in the field of 12.
Tom Bush trains Psychiatry, a daughter of Freud out of That s a Take by Take Me Out who was bred by Scott Schwartz and sold for $80,000 as a two-year-old at Ocala in April 2014. She finished third by 4 ¼ lengths at 34-1 odds in her six-furlong debut on May 7 th, then a fine second at 5-2 odds from the 10 post in her second start at seven furlongs on June 10 th. With a much better post Wednesday, the four, she got away smartly in second as 9-1 Animal Appeal, ridden out of the 11 post by Luis Saez, broke like a shot to take a quick two-length lead. Animal Appeal zipped the first quarter in :21.63, then stretched her lead on Psychiatry to three lengths by running a testing half-mile in :44.77. Lezcano made his move with Psychiatry in early stretch and she went head-to-head with Animal Appeal through three-quarters in 1:08.91. By then, Sauvignon had rallied into third and continued to gain on the two leaders. Animal Appeal fought on gamely, but Psychiatry edged past her, then held off Sauvignon by three-quarters of a length. Sauvignon was second, just a neck ahead of Animal Appeal in third. Bella Joy was a close fourth at 10-1 odds. Psychiatry has now earned $54,000 in her first three starts. Michael Imperio s four-year-old New York-bred filly Unrepented wore down front-running Iknewuweretrouble in early stretch and drew off to capture a six-furlong $25,000 conditional $14,000 claimer by three lengths under Joel Rosario in a final time of 1:13.30. Unrepented went off the slight 9-5 favorite and Iknewuweretrouble was sent off at odds of 7-2 in the field of six. Gregory DiPrima trains Unrepented, a daughter of Repent out of Nobody But Me by Trust N Luck who was bred by Blue Devil Racing. Imperio and DiPrima claimed Unrepented for $12,500 when she won by 11 ¼ lengths at 4-5 odds on April 1st. In her first two starts for her new connections, Unrepented finished fifth twice in a pair of New York-bred allowance races on the grass before returning to the main track Wednesday. Breaking from the outside post, Unrepented settled in a close second on the flank of Iknewuweretrouble, who raced the first quarter-mile in :23.15. After a half-mile in :47.48, Unrepented went after the front-runner and quickly took over, cruising home a comfortable winner. Underhill Drive, the 2-1 second choice on the rail, finished second, a length and a quarter ahead of 5-1 New York-bred Gethot Stayhot. Unrepented is now three for 10 on dirt with two seconds and a third. She s also raced four times on turf and has combined earnings of more than $80,000. Trainer Linda Rice added blinkers and switched Sea Otter Stable s three-year-old gray filly West Sedona from grass to dirt, and she responded with a wire-to-wire, four-length victory under Cornelio Velasquez in Wednesday s opener, a seven-furlong $32,000 New York-bred maiden $25,000 claimer. Sent off at 7-2 odds in the field of seven, she won in a final time of 1:26.36. West Sedona is a daughter of Smoke Glacken out of Martha Promised by Street Cry who was bred by Stonegate Stables and sold for $85,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in 2013. She made her debut on June 20 th in a maiden $40,000 claimer on grass and finished seventh in the field of nine at 12-1 odds.
Breaking from the two post Wednesday, she quickly made the lead while pressed by 9-2 Cats Landing and 6-1 Tharyic. West Sedona led by a half-length through a :23.52 first quarter and by three-quarters of a length through a :48.48 half-mile. Louie s Luck, a 23-1 longshot ridden by Angel Arroyo, took a bold run at West Sedona at the top of the stretch, but West Sedona repelled her and opened up on the field. West Sedona won by herself. Louie s Luck was a clear second, four lengths ahead of Cats Landing. Touch of Paradise, the 9-5 favorite who broke awkwardly and never recovered, was fourth, a half-length behind Cats Landing. Point Roll Does Roll in First Start in a Year Sunday at Belmont Perfectly prepared for his first start in exactly one year by trainer Christophe Clement, Henry Prieger and David Lester s homebred five-year-old gelding Point Roll won a one-mile $62,000 New York-bred grass allowance by 3 ½ lengths in a final time of exactly 1:35.00 Sunday at Belmont Park thanks to a textbook wire-to-wire ride by Joel Rosario. Sent off the 3-2 favorite from the eight post in the field of 10, Point Roll ran his final quarter-mile in a sensational :22.68. The son of Point Given out of Lady Prantlack by Royal Academy hadn t raced since finishing 10 th as the 8-5 favorite in a field of 11 in a slightly longer allowance route on the same date a year ago. He showed just four published dirt works for his return, but the final three were impressive: a pair of five-furlong bullets in 1:01 and 1:00 3/5, and a four-furlong work in :48 2/5. Rosario got Point Roll away from the gate quickly and he led 13-1 Madam I m Adam through a moderate pace: a first quarter in :24.64, a half-mile in :48.72 and three-quarters in 1:12.32. When Madam I m Adam tried getting closer, Rosario let Point Roll loose and he opened a daylight lead quickly. Jax Heritage, the 7-2 second choice ridden by Julien Leparoux, rallied to finish second a length and a half clear of 7-1 Sonnyandpally. Madam I m Adam was just a nose back in fourth. Point Roll is now two for five on grass with a pair of thirds and more than $80,000 in earnings. Apprentice jockey Eric Cancel rallied Bran Jam Stable s five-year-old mare Amber Morning past Bella Kateri in the final 100 yards to win a seven-furlong $62,000 New York-bred grass allowance by a half-length Sunday. Amber Morning, who broke from the rail, was sent off at odds of 8-1. Bella Kateri, who broke from the outside post in the field of eight under Jose Ortiz, was the 2-1 second choice. John Toscano, Jr. trains Amber Morning, a daughter of Pure Prize out of Bellanique by Joyeux Dancer who was bred by Nustar Breeding. Bran Jam Stable claimed Amber Morning for $20,000 at Gulfstream Park when she won by a neck on March 11 th at 3-1 odds. Amber Morning finished second in an open $35,000 claimer at Gulfstream Park, then shipped to Belmont Park, where she finished third and seventh in a pair of six-furlong New York-bred grass allowance sprints under Angel Cruz.
Bettors sent her off at 8-1 odds on Sunday and made Blue Beryl, an impressive last-to-first winner at 23-1 odds in her debut, the 4-5 favorite from the seven post under Cornelio Velasquez. Amber Morning was last early as 21-1 Kicken Livi set a fast pace while pressed by 24-1 Lightning Lilly. Bella Kateri raced in fourth through a first quarter in :22.00 and a half-mile in :44.84. Ortiz sent Bella Kateri up to challenge for the lead and she took over readily, hitting six furlongs in 1:09.03 as Amber Morning motored into second. Bella Kateri tried to hold on, but Amber Morning nailed her late. Kicken Livi was a distant third, a neck in front of 10-1 Moonlit Sonnet. Amber Morning improved her all-turf record to four for 24 with four seconds, four thirds and over $140,000 in earnings. Showing uncommon courage, Repole Stable s New York-bred gelding Possilicious made his first start off the claim a winning one under Kendrick Carmouche. Possilicious wore down stubborn front-runner Bessie s Boy then held off Old Mexico by a head in a $65,000 open $50,000 claimer for three-year-olds, completing the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.69. Possilicious was the slight 5-2 favorite; Bessie s Boy was also 5-2 and Old Mexico was sent off at 9-2 odds in the field of six. Repole and trainer Bruce Levine claimed Possilicious for $40,000 in his last start on May 31 st, when he finished second by a neck to Chasing Bubbles as the 1-5 favorite. Bettors made Possilicious a tepid favorite Sunday over both Bessie s Boy and the other New York-bred in the race, Gypsum Johnny, who also went off at 5-2 odds from the rail under Manuel Franco. Breaking from the outside post, apprentice rider Eric Cancel gunned Bessie s Boy to the lead and he quickly cleared the field, taking a one-length lead on Possilicious through a :22.83 first quarter. Old Mexico, ridden by Julien Leparoux, was two lengths back in third. Possilicious moved within a head of Bessie s Boy through a :46.16 half-mile as Old Mexico advanced three-wide. Bessie s Boy dug in at the head of the stretch and Possilicious had to work hard to edge past him in mid-stretch. While he did, Old Mexico continued to gain. Old Mexico had a sixteenth of a mile to get past Possilicious, who grimly held on to a narrow lead right to the wire. Old Mexico finished second, 4 ¼ lengths clear of Gypsum Johnny, who edged Bessie s Boy by a head for third. Possilicious is a son of Posse out of Deliciously by Distinctive Pro who was bred by Drazin- Aaron-Zaro Stables. He is now four for nine in his career with one second, one third and more than $160,000 in earnings. Sackatoga Stable s three-year-old filly Isthatallthereis rallied seven-wide around the far turn under Angel Cruz and got up in the final yards to edge Summersault by a head in a mile-and-asixteenth $60,000 New York-bred maiden special weight on the grass in Sunday s finale. Isthatallthereis was sent off at odds of 8-1 and Summersault, who was adding blinkers and was ridden by Joel Rosario, was the 8-5 favorite in the field of nine.
Departing from the rail under Kendrick Carmouche, 10-1 Bebop Raindrop set the pace with Summersault, who broke from the two post, content to sit in second through a quarter-mile in :25.85, a half-mile in :50.79 and three-quarters in 1:14.32. Bebop Raindrop was joined on the lead by Summersault, who took over after a mile in 1:37.75. But Isthatallthereis, after rallying widest of all around the far turn, nailed him just before the wire. Summersault held second, 2 ½ lengths clear of Bebop Raindrop. Broken Border finished fourth at 15-1 odds. Barclay Tagg trains Isthatallthereis, a daughter of Political Force out of Countess Imperio by Awesome Again who was bred by Michael Imperio. After finishing fourth and fifth on dirt in her only two starts last year, Isthatallthereis was switched to grass, finishing third three times heading into Sunday. She has now earned just under $60,000. Bona Venture Stables five-year-old gelding Smooth Bert s layoff wasn t quite as long as Point Roll s, but it was close. Making his first start since finishing a distant fourth at Saratoga last August 22 nd, Smooth Bert made a three-wide move under Jose Ortiz to take the lead, then blew the competition away, capturing a 6 ½-furlong $47,000 New York-bred $25,000 claimer by nearly 13 lengths Sunday. Sent off at 7-2 odds in the field of seven, he won in a final time of 1:16.80. Trained by Leah Gyarmati, the son of Smooth Jazz out of Little Bertie by Devil His Due, bred by Allen Hallett/Briggs & Cromartie Bloodstock, was making his first start as a gelding, taking a considerable drop in class and cutting back to a sprint. His last race last year at Saratoga was in a mile-and-an-eighth open allowance/optional $62,500 claimer, and he went off at 4-1 odds in the field of seven. Ortiz, who had ridden Smooth Bert in his previous start at Saratoga, got him away third from the outside post as 6-1 American Creed and 13-1 Seek to Destroy disputed the lead through a first quarter in :22.67 and a half-mile in :46.07. Smooth Bert circled up three-wide around them to take the lead and entered the stretch wide. It didn t matter a bit. Ortiz got him back to the inside as he unleashed a powerful closing kick to win by himself. Jeter, who also went off at 7-2 odds, beat American Creed by three-quarters of a length for second. Seek to Destroy finished fourth. Smooth Bert is now four for 16 on dirt with three seconds, three thirds and earnings of just under $260,000. Young Racing Stable s four-year-old gray gelding Harbor King shed blinkers and blew up the toteboard Sunday, winning a mile-and-an-eighth $41,000 New York-bred maiden $40,000 claimer on the inner turf course by three-quarters of a length under Israel Rodriguez at 31-1 odds.
Richard Metivier trains Harbor King, a son of Rockport Harbor out of Wander Queen by Kingmambo who was bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and A. Lakin & Sons. Harbor King hadn t hit the board in six previous grass starts and was 0 for 11 on dirt. Breaking smartly from the two post, Harbor King went for the lead and was pressed by 7-2 Plundering two-wide and 5-1 Scooby Dude three-wide through the first three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.65. Harbor King shook off both challengers to continue on the front end as 11-1 Greg s Fourwheeler made a late run along the hedge. Harbor King, though, had enough left to prevail. Plundering was third, a length and three-quarters behind Greg s Fourwheeler, and 39-1 Giantpatontheback finished fourth after Harbor King won in a final time of 1:49.99. Effinex is Extraordinary in Grade 2 Suburban Handicap Upset Saturday Trainer Leah Gyarmati once said, Racing gives you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. She s right, but that usually doesn t happen every other race. That s the wild ride Tri- Bone Stables four-year-old New York-bred colt Effinex has taken his connections on in just 10 weeks. Effinex, who was good enough last October to win the $300,000 Empire Classic at 17-1 odds on Showcase Day, took his game to another level on April 25 th, when he won the Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes by three-quarters of a length at 6-1 odds, defeating his more accomplished stablemate in trainer Jimmy Jerkens barn, Wicked Strong, who finished third by three lengths. Jerkens felt good enough about Effinex to stretch him out to a mile and a half in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap June 6 th on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Bet down to 3-1 odds in the field of 11, Effinex didn t even finish the race. He bore out a bit on the first turn, was rank the length of the backstretch, and then bore out so badly heading into the far turn that he was closer to the outside rail than the inside one. Jockey Angel Arroyo wisely eased him. Maybe the crowd on Belmont Day got him all worked up, or he was in a sour frame of mind with the long post parade, Jerkens said. That might have had something to do with it. Give Jerkens all the credit in the world for not overreacting to the abysmal performance and giving him another chance in another Grade 2 stakes at Belmont Park, the 129 th running of the $500,000 Suburban Handicap at a mile and a quarter Saturday, with a new jockey in Junior Alvarado. Jerkens made two other changes. He eased up on Effinex s training for the Suburban and changed his bridle to a Houghton one. It gives you more control, Jerkens said. Would it matter? Effinex had only five foes in the Suburban, but one of them was Tonalist, the 123-pound highweight who was shedding blinkers and would go off at 2-5 odds under John Velazquez. Tonalist won last year s Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and was four for five at Belmont Park with one second, that being to Honor Code in the Grade I Met Mile in his previous start. Effinex, who was carrying 117 pounds, went off at 6-1 odds. The two other top contenders in the Suburban were trainer Todd Pletcher s Coach Inge, who went off at 7-2 odds under Irad Ortiz, Jr., and 7-1 Mylute ridden by Javier Castellano. They carried 118 and 117 pounds, respectively. Street Babe, a 38-1 shot, and 44-1 Neck n Neck completed the field. Both Street Babe on the rail and Coach Inge from the two post broke quickly and immediately hooked up. Street Babe, ridden by Joel Rosario, refused to concede the lead to Coach Inge and
they opened up seven lengths on the rest of the field. Street Babe led Coach Inge by a neck after a :22.80 first quarter. Effinex was fifth and Tonalist sixth, both double-digit lengths behind the speed duel in front of them. Street Babe led Coach Inge by a head, hitting the half-mile in :46.13. Effinex was still fifth, nine lengths behind Street Babe while three-quarters of a length ahead of Tonalist on his outside. Coach Inge surged on the outside of Street Babe, who finally caved after three-quarters in 1:10.13. Tonalist had advanced into second two-wide while Castellano had Mylute three-wide. Alvarado kept Effinex inside around the far turn, then took him to the outside when Mylute failed to sustain his bid. Coach Inge opened up a two-length lead, running a mile in 1:35.02. Effinex was two-wide and Tonalist three-wide and both closed in quickly when Coach Inge got weary. Both Effinex and Tonalist passed Coach Inge in deep stretch and staged their own battle. Effinex inched ahead of Tonalist before the wire and gamely held him off for his biggest career victory, running the mile and a quarter in 2:01.55. Coach Inge, who ran a truly courageous race, was third, a length and a half behind Tonalist. During the stretch run, I was just happy he was going to run good, Jerkens said. If he got beat by Tonalist, that wasn t going to be a crime. And then when he gutted it out, golly. Alvarado, who had delivered a masterful ride, said, Tonalist kept fighting because he s a good horse, but my horse fought back too, and we got it done. Jerkens marveled at Effinex s progress. Today was great for him, a New York-bred, Jerkens said. He couldn t get out of his two-other-than condition last spring. Now he s beating a horse like Tonalist. That doesn t happen every day. It may happen again. Effinex and Tonalist are prime contenders for Saratoga s two Grade 1 stakes for older horses: the Whitney on August 8 th and the Woodward on September 5 th. Effinex is a son of Mineshaft out of What a Pear by E Dubai who was bred by Dr. Russell Cohen. Effinex is now six for 16 in his career with one second, two thirds and more than $800,000 in earnings. Effinex wasn t the only New York-bred to hit the board in a graded stakes Saturday. Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence s colt Startup Nation finished third by 4 ¼ lengths to Force the Pass in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational for three-year-olds at a mile and a quarter on grass. Sent off at 13-1 odds under John Velazquez, Startup Nation raced in fourth most of the way, then edged 41-1 Closing Bell by a neck for third. Chad Brown trains Startup Nation, a son of Temple City out of Pennyrile by Wagon Limit who was bred by Spendthrift Farm and sold for $95,000 as a yearling at Saratoga in 2013. A winner of the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes by 4 ½ lengths last year, Startup Nation is now two for six with two thirds in his all-grass career, and has more than $300,000 in earnings. Earlier Saturday, My Meadowview Farm s homebred four-year-old colt Samraat, who won the Grade 3 Withers and Grade 2 Gotham before finishing second in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in his final start last year, made his four-year-old debut for trainer Rick Violet. Samraat, ridden by Junior
Alvarado, got into a speed duel with Matrooh and weakened to finish fourth in the field of five in a mile-and-a-sixteenth $102,000 allowance/optional $100,000 claimer.