Aqueduct

Effinex honored by New York breeders

Nicole Russo|Apr 05, 2016

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography Effinex, winner of the Clark Handicap, is being given a break from racing and will target the Stymie in March for the start of his 2016 campaign.

Effinex, who finished second to American Pharoah in the Breeders' Cup Classic and went on to win the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, has been named named New York's Horse of the Year. The state’s 2015 honors were presented at the New York Thoroughbred Breeders annual awards banquet, sponsored by the New York Breeding and Development Fund, Monday night in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Effinex, who has earned more than $2.2 million, was bred by Russell Cohen and is campaigned by his family racing operation Tri-Bone Stables. Effinex also earned honors as New York's champion older dirt male.

The other horse to earn multiple honors was Eclipse Award champion female sprinter La Verdad, named her home state's champion female sprinter and champion older dirt female. The mare's half-sister Hot City Girl was named champion 3-year-old filly; their dam, Noble Fire, thus earned honors as the state's top broodmare. Their breeder, Mark Vondrasek’s Eklektikos Stable LLC, was named the state’s top breeder.

Two special award presentations were also delivered: a Lifetime Achievement Award to past NYTB president Barry Ostrager and a Thoroughbred Charities of America Award of Merit to aftercare organization ReRun, Inc.

A complete list of New York's 2015 honorees:

Horse of the Year, champion older dirt male: Effinex (Mineshaft)
Breeder/owner: Russell S. Cohen/Tri-Bone Stables
Trainer: James A. Jerkens

Champion female sprinter, champion older dirt Female: La Verdad (Yes It's True)
Breeder: Eklektikos Stable LLC
Owner: Lady Sheila Stable
Trainer: Linda Rice

Champion 2-year-old male: Flexibility (Bluegrass Cat)
Breeder: WinStar Farm, LLC
Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence
Trainer: Chad C. Brown

Champion 2-year-old filly: Frosty Margarita (Frost Giant)
Breeder/owner: Gabrielle Farm
Trainer: Rudy R. Rodriguez

Champion 3-year-old male: Upstart (Flatter)
Breeder: Mrs. Gerald A. Nielsen
Owner: Ralph M. Evans and WinStar Farm LLC
Trainer: Richard A. Violette, Jr.

Champion 3-year-old filly: Hot City Girl (City Zip)
Breeder: Eklektikos Stable LLC
Owner: Lady Sheila Stable
Trainer: Linda Rice

Champion turf male: Lubash (Freud)
Breeder/owner: Aliyu Ben J Stable Inc.
Trainer: Christophe Clement

Champion turf female: Invading Humor (Invasor)
Breeder: James Randall Mcglinn
Owner: Bloodlines Racing Partnerships
Trainer: Bruce N. Levine

Champion male sprinter: Palace (City Zip)
Breeder: The Peter J. Callahan Revocable Trust Dated 2/28/02
Owner: Antonino Miuccio
Trainer: Linda Rice

Broodmare of the Year: Noble Fire (Hook and Ladder)

Breeder of the Year: Eklektikos Stable LLC
Trainer of the Year: Linda Rice
Jockey of the Year: Jose Ortiz

Lifetime Achievement Award: Barry Ostrager
Thoroughbred Charities of America Award of Merit: ReRun, Inc.

DRF Headlines

View All