Effinex Leads $1 Million Santa Anita Handicap
Effinex, winner of the G1 2015 Clark Handicap in November, returns to face eight runners in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap as the 2 to 1 favorite.
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Effinex finished second to American Pharoah in BC Classic
Before the Clark, the 5 YO New York bred son of Mineshaft was second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic behind American Pharoah at 33 to 1 in what was the best race of his career earning a 112 Beyer for the effort. He has 7 wins in 20 career starts and is 2 of 5 at the 1 1/4 mile distance of the Big ‘Cap. He’ll race for the first time in 2016 and for the first time in his career at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, winner of the last three running’s of the Santa Anita Handicap, will again be aboard for trainer Jimmy Jerkins who worked him 4f at Santa Anita 4 days ago in :47 and change earning the bullet.
Other runners include the second, third, sixth and seventh place finishers of the G2 San Antonio at Santa Anita last month. Imperative, who was second beaten a nose by Hoppertunity in the San Antonio for trainer Richard Baltas, has managed only three wins lifetime. He’s a hard knocking son of Bernardini who has been runner up in his last three attempts and second best in eight tries in his six year career. Baltas removed the blinkers for his last three which appears to have helped as his races look better, at least on paper having moved up several points in the Beyer column but he hasn’t found the winners circle since winning the 2014 Charlestown Classic.
Trainer Doug O’Neil sends out Donworth who was third in the San Antonio. He’ll be making his second start after an almost eight month layoff. He’s a lightly raced son of Tiznow and will wear the colors of the Redham Racing stables who campaigned Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another. He has only two wins from 5 starts and should round out a small exacta ticket.
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