Effinex changes plans, eyes Dubai World Cup

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – There is a change of plans in the works for Effinex – and a drastic change at that.

Initially slated to spend the winter in New York with an expected return to the races in the Stymie Stakes on March 13 at Aqueduct, Effinex soon will depart for south Florida to begin preparations for a possible start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 26.

“I’m giving it serious consideration,” said Russell Cohen, racing manager for his family’s Tri-Bone Stable, which owns Effinex.

Cohen’s change of heart comes after a discussion with retired trainer John Veitch, whom Cohen counts among his brain trust. Veitch alleviated Cohen’s concerns over the safety of traveling to the Middle East and shipping for the horse and told Cohen that his horse belongs in the world’s richest race.

Cohen said Veitch told him, “By missing the opportunity of the century, you’re pretty dumb. Nobody gets this opportunity. It’s a rare gig.’ He said, ‘You’re going to be a player.’ ”

In 2015, Effinex, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, won four races, including the Grade 1 Clark Handicap on Nov. 27, four weeks after he finished second to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Effinex won two races at 1 1/4 miles – the Grade 3 Excelsior and the Grade 2 Suburban – which is the distance of the World Cup.

Effinex has been stabled at Belmont Park since the Clark. He began walking under tack last Wednesday and was slated to return to the track by Monday. He is tentatively scheduled to van to Jerkens at Palm Meadows on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Cohen doesn’t believe it will take Effinex long to get race ready, but squeezing a prep in before Dubai could be tricky. There is the Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 6, which would appear to be too soon. There also is the Grade 2, $500,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap, a one-turn mile March 6 that might make more sense. There also is the $100,000 Haynesfield for New York-breds at Aqueduct on Feb. 13, which Cohen said is “unlikely” but didn’t totally rule out.

Cohen said part of him would like to keep Effinex in New York until shipping to Dubai, but he noted that the dramatic temperature change from New York to Dubai “may not be the most reasonable thing to do.”