Effinex, Shaman Ghost powerful Suburban team

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Jimmy Jerkens will send out a powerful one-two punch of Effinex and Shaman Ghost in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap.

Effinex, last year’s Suburban winner, will be running back just three weeks after he finished a dull sixth as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

“It doesn’t look like anything’s wrong with him,” Jerkens said. “He looked better than he did in his life. I can’t understand it. I hope it was an anomaly.”

Effinex worked five furlongs Sunday in 1:02.02 over the Belmont training track in company with recent turf maiden winner Drop Shot.

Mike Smith, aboard Effinex for wins in the Grade 1 Clark and Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, will be back on Effinex for the Suburban. Gary Stevens rode Effinex in the Stephen Foster because Smith was committed to ride Songbird in the Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita that day.

Effinex is the 122-pound highweight for the Suburban.

Shaman Ghost, the second highweight at 120 pounds, is coming off a 4 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Brooklyn here four weeks ago. He also won last year’s Queens’s Plate at Woodbine.

Shaman Ghost drilled five furlongs in 59.60 seconds over the Belmont training track Sunday in company with Adulator.

Joel Rosario will ride Shaman Ghost.

Also pointing to the Suburban are Eagle (119 pounds), Mubtaahij (118), Noble Bird (117), Kid Cruz (117), Samraat (115), and possibly Turco Bravo (116).