Effinex narrowly beats Tonalist in Suburban

ELMONT, N.Y. – In a thrilling edition of the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday, Effinex defeated 2-5 favorite Tonalist by a head following a ferocious stretch duel that also included the front-running Coach Inge.

Coach Inge and Street Babe went tooth and nail during the early stages of the 1 1/4-mile Suburban, cutting out an opening quarter-mile in 22.80 seconds while separating themselves from the four other members of the field. At that stage, Tonalist and Effinex were last and next to last.

After a half in 46.13, Tonalist and Effinex advanced toward the leaders, with Tonalist on the outside. Effinex ran up behind the horses and was steadied by Junior Alvarado as Tonalist, under John Velazquez, joined the leading group three wide while between Coach Inge and the four-wide Mylute.

After six furlongs in 1:10.13, Coach Inge spurted clear of the leading pack and opened a clear lead. By that time, Effinex was on the move again and just about even with Tonalist from the inside as the pair passed the quarter pole.

Coach Inge maintained an open lead into the final furlong as Effinex and Tonalist dug deep in their private battle. Effinex and Tonalist surged past Coach Inge in the final sixteenth, with Effinex narrowly best at the finish.

Effinex's upset was all the more amazing since he had been pulled up at the eighth pole in his last race, the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn, after lugging out badly.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens is not sure what happened in that race but speculated that maybe the bit bothered Effinex's mouth that day, or maybe his teeth had become too sharp.

Jerkens had Effinex's teeth filed down between starts, used a more severe bit, and changed riders.

"The more severe bit, they can feel it in their mouth, and it gives the rider more control," Jerkens said. "Because they can feel it, the rider usually doesn't have to use it."

Jerkens speculated that Effinex may have acted up in the Brooklyn because of the crowd on hand that day for the Belmont Stakes.

"Maybe the crowd just got him worked up," he said. "Put him in a sour frame of mind."

Jerkens was relieved to see Effinex run straight on Saturday.

"In the stretch, I was just happy to see he was running good," Jerkens said. "I thought if I get beat by Tonalist, it's not the end of the world. The key was Junior getting the stick to his left hand."

Effinex paid $15.60 and was timed in 2:01.55 after a mile in 1:35.02. Tonalist, the highweight in the field, carried 123 pounds, six more than Effinex.

Jerkens said he would consider running Effinex in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 8, but his first inclination was to wait for the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 5. The Whitney and Woodward are both at 1 1/8 miles.

Coach Inge, who ran a very determined race after setting the quick early fractions, finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Tonalist.