Belmont Park: Effie Trinket may try Miss Grillo

ELMONT, N.Y. - Though Effie Trinket has won both of her starts on dirt, trainer Rick Violette has an inkling the New York-bred juvenile filly may like the turf even better. At first glance, Violette may be right.

On Monday, Violette vanned Effie Trinket from Aqueduct to Belmont, where she worked four furlongs in 50.03 seconds over the yielding ground. Effie Trinket, a daughter of Freud, worked in company with Lenderoflastresort, pulling away from that horse by four lengths at the wire under urging from exercise rider Rodney Paine. She got her last quarter in 23.32.

Violette said he may point Effie Trinket to the $150,000 Miss Grillo Stakes here Oct. 7.

“Her dirt races make her a very nice New York-bred,” Violette said. “They don’t put her in open company. If she improves on the grass, it’s a different story.”

Before coming over to Belmont, Violette sent out Grade 2 Saratoga Special winner Spurious Precision for a half-mile move in 48.19 over Aqueduct’s main track. Violette termed the move “excellent” and said it keeps him on target for the Grade 1 Champagne here Oct. 6.