Effinex (Mineshaft), a dramatic winner over Tonalist (Tapit) in last year's GII Suburban H., looks to defend his title in Belmont's 10-furlong contest off a head-scratching sixth-place finish as the 3-5 chalk in the GI Stephen Foster H. at Churchill June 18. The 2015 GI Clark H. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up followed a third-place finish in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 12 with a win over subsequent GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita hero Melatonin (Kodiak Kowboy) in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 16.
“I don't know what happened last time,” trainer Jimmy Jerkens admitted. “He ran kind of wide, maybe he didn't like that, but we'll give it another go. In some of his previous races where he's not run his best, I feel he might have been over trained, so we're careful not to do that this time. The fact that he's run very well at the distance in the past is encouraging. If anybody should be able to handle it, it should be him.”
Jerkens will also be well-represented by impressive June 11 GII Brooklyn S. winner Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper), hero of last July's Queen's Plate S. at this distance.
Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), last seen completing the exacta behind California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26, adds Lasix in his first attempt for the Kiaran McLaughlin barn. The well-traveled bay competed in two legs of the 2015 Triple Crown for Mike de Kock, including a fourth-place finish in the GI Belmont S.
“He came to us in terrific condition and trained well since then,” McLaughlin said. “Watching his races he's probably at best when he's in the middle of the pack, and with the mile and quarter distance, I'd prefer to be on the inside. He's doing real well. He will have a change in equipment running for the first time with Lasix in his life and we've had some success with that angle so we'll see how it goes.”
The stretch-running Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}), runner-up in the Stephen Foster and GII Alysheba S., figures to appreciate the added distance here.
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