Effinex in the spotlight for Clark Handicap
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Effinex inherited a supporting role in the coronation of American Pharoah at the Breeders’ Cup, but his connections are hoping the colt will move to center stage Friday in the 141st running of the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens came here from New York to oversee the final preparations for Effinex, one of nine 3-year-olds and up in the $500,000 Clark, the annual fall-meet showcase, which once again will be run under the lights.
“This looked like one of the last things for the year to shoot for, so here we are,” said Jerkens.
Effinex, owned by Tri-Bone Stables, figures to vie for favoritism with Race Day in the 1 1/8-mile Clark. The 4-year-old colts will start as 122-pound co-highweights alongside each other, with Effinex in post 8 and Race Day in post 9. Each will have a Hall of Fame jockey astride – Mike Smith on Effinex and John Velazquez on Race Day.
Effinex, a New York-bred, was 33-1 when he gave closest chase throughout as the runner-up to American Pharoah in the Oct. 31 BC Classic at Keeneland. He usually came from farther back in prior races.
“He basically came out second by default, and I can’t see that happening this time,” said Jerkens, referring to the likelihood of longshots Mr. Z and Shotgun Kowboy contesting the early pace in the Clark.
As for his Clark tactics: “I guess it’ll depend on how he comes running out of there,” Jerkens said. “Mike will size it up and go from there.”
Race Day, owned by Matt Schera, will move after the Clark to Spendthrift Farm for a stud career. A victory Friday would give him quite a send-off, as it would follow a flashy score in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup weekend.
Race Day is one of two Todd Pletcher-trained colts in the race, along with Protonico (post 5, Julien Leparoux), the winner of the Grade 3 Ben Ali and Grade 2 Alysheba in the spring.
Hoppertunity (post 6, Martin Garcia), the winner of the Clark here last fall, had been considered for the Hawthorne Gold Cup on Saturday, but weather and travel difficulties led trainer Bob Baffert to send him here. Hoppertunity was second as the favorite behind Race Day in the Fayette.
“Looking back, I think I probably should’ve run him in the Classic because of how the race set up,” said Baffert, also the trainer of the now-retired American Pharoah. “He’s trained well since then. I think he’s going to run big.”
Baffert also had hoped to run Dortmund in the Clark, but the 3-year-old colt had a minor foot issue that precluded him from running.
The Clark lineup also includes Keen Ice (post 1, Corey Lanerie), the conqueror of American Pharoah in the Travers Stakes, and Frivolous (post 4, Jon Court), a 5-year-old mare with three stakes victories over the Churchill strip in the last year.
The Clark is the 11th of 12 races on a terrific Friday card that also includes the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf (race 10), the $80,000 Dream Supreme (race 9), and three allowances (races 1, 3, 6). First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, with the Clark going at 5:35.
The forecast for Friday calls for an 80 percent chance of rain, with a high temperature of about 60.
KEY CONTENDERS
Effinex (Last 3 Beyers: 110-92-103)
◗ Naughtily named colt didn’t just get second in the Classic through smoke and mirrors. He now has earned triple-digit Beyers in five of his last seven starts, including wins in the Excelsior and Suburban and decent showings in the Woodward and Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Race Day (Last 3 Beyers: 105-69-82)
◗ Disappointment in the Salvator Mile and Forego was largely erased by that huge run in the Fayette.
◗ Like Effinex, he has earned triple-digit Beyers in five of his last seven.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Race Day. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 64-23-3-14 with a $1.54 ROI over the past five years in dirt route graded stakes with last-out winners in the second start following a layoff (35-23-1-8, $2.82 ROI at odds of 5-2 or lower; 29-0-2-6 at odds above 5-2). Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Hoppertunity (Last 3 Beyers: 104-102-99)
◗ A half-length winner of the 2014 Clark over Protonico and Constitution, this 4-year-old colt won the Grade 2 San Pasqual at Santa Anita six weeks later but now has lost seven straight, albeit while continuing to register high Beyers amid top-tier company.
Keen Ice (Last 3 Beyers: 101-106-105)
◗ Trainer Dale Romans was hesitant to commit this late-striding 3-year-old to the race, but only because a potential sale had been in the works. Training-wise, everything has gone smoothly since the BC Classic, he said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Keen Ice. Trainer Dale Romans is 113-29-24-21 with a $2.90 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes at Churchill Downs with Corey Lanerie aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Protonico (Last 3 Beyers: 94-86-103)
◗ Inconsistent but ever capable, this colt was a no-threat fifth behind Race Day in the Fayette and would do better to perform the way he did in winning four stakes.
Frivolous (Last 3 Beyers: 90-91-92)
◗ She was cross-entered Thursday in the Falls City Handicap, a filly-and-mare race in which she likely would be favored; game-time decision.