Belmont Park Notes 9.11.16

by NYRA Press Office

• Effinex takes aim at G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, Delta Prince nears debut
• Comfort in 'good order' following Seattle Slew win
• Governor Malibu breezes for first time since G1 Travers
• Mubtaahij remains on target for JCGC
• Turf works abound for Chad Brown contingent
• Ancient Secret leads Sands Point probables

Tri-Bone Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Effinex emerged from his bullet work Saturday morning in good order and will target the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 8 at Belmont Park, confirmed trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

On Saturday, the 5-year-old New York-bred by Mineshaft breezed five furlongs in :59 1/5 seconds on the main track, the fastest of 24 at the distance, for his second official work since his fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at Saratoga Race Course.

Effinex will join stablemate and Grade 1 Woodward victor Shaman Ghost in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. At 1 ¼ miles, the Gold Cup offers an all-fees paid to the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 5 at Santa Anita Park as part of the "Win and You're In" Challenge Series.

"They both like the distance, it's a lot of money and it's right in our backyard," said Jerkens. "There's a lot to like about it. It's the logical place to run before the Breeders' Cup. I don't see anywhere else to run."

Delta Prince, the unraced half-brother to three-time Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta, worked in company with Effinex as he prepares for his unveiling later this month. The 3-year-old Street Cry colt finished about three lengths behind his more accomplished stablemate to earn an official time of :59 4/5 seconds for the five-furlong move.

"He didn't really stay with Effinex the whole way, he did for a good part of the way but he got tired at the very end, which is to be expected," Jerkens said of the breeze. "I like him. He's a beautiful-looking horse, really handsome. I think there's a race on [September] 23rd for maidens, 6 ½ furlongs. We're hoping to get him there."
 

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Making his first start since a valiant second-place finish in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course this summer, Eclipse Thoroughbred PartnersComfort returned on Saturday to win the inaugural running of the Settle Slew Stakes at Belmont. 

Earning his fifth career win from nine starts by a nose, Byron Hughes, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, reported the 4-year-old son of Indian Charlie exited the race in fine fettle.

"He seems to have come out of the race well," said Hughes. "He ate up all his feed and is in good order."

Now a perfect 3-for-3 at Belmont, Hughes said the colt is possible to make the return to graded stakes company in next month's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Other Pletcher trainees under consideration for upcoming Super Saturday stakes are Grade 1 Prioress winner Sweet Loretta (Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette and impressive maiden winner Theory (Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne).
 

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Governor Malibu breezed five furlongs in 1:01.55 under regular jockey Joel Rosario on the Belmont Park main track Sunday morning, marking his first work since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Travers on August 27. 

Trainer Christophe Clement said he was pleased with Governor Malibu's first work at Belmont since July 17. Clement said he will talk to the owners - Jump Sucker Stable and Oak Bluff Stables - to discuss where the 3-year-old chestnut colt might start next.

"He had a nice, steady work. He started easy and finished well," Clement said. "He was willing. For now, we're keeping all our options open. It would be great to find an easier race coming back from the Jim Dandy and the Travers, and then be ambitious again."

Among the possibilities for Governor Malibu, who finished second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 30, are the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby on September 24 at Parx Racing and the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby on September 25 at Remington Park.
 

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Returning to Belmont following his best career finish from four starts in North America,  Grade 1 Woodward runner-up Mubtaahij will \ be pointed towards the Jockey Club Gold Cup, said Joe Lee, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Lee noted that the McLaughlin team was pleased with the 4-year-old colt's showing in the Woodward and have every expectation that Mubtaahij will continue to move forward.

The Irish-bred son of Dubawi, who runs under Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's Essafinaat racing operation, finished second to California Chrome in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March for South African trainer Mike de Kock before transferring to McLaughlin later that spring.

Mubtaahij hit the board in his first start for the new barn, posting a close third-place finish in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap on July 9.

"He looked great in the Woodward," said Lee. "It was certainly the best he's run since being stateside so far and he's been galloping daily since returning to Belmont in continuing preparations for the Jockey Club Gold Cup."

Lee added that subject to weather Mubtaahij was scheduled to next put in official workouts for the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 23 and 30.
 

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A sizable Chad Brown contingent breezed Sunday morning, including Flintshire,who breezed four furlongs in :50.08 seconds on the turf in his first work since winning the Grade 1 Longines Sword Dancer on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course. Flintshire, who is 3-for-3 in 2016 with wins in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan and the Grade 2 Bowling Green, breezed in company withMoney Multiplier with regular jockey Javier Castellano aboard.

Money Multiplier also worked for the first time since the Sword Dancer, when he finished just three-quarters of a length behind his stablemate, his third runner-up finish in a Grade 1 this year. Money Multiplier, owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, also came in second in the United Nations and the Man o' War.

Lady Eli breezed in company with Sea Calisi with each going four furlongs in :47.66 seconds over the firm turf course. It was the first work for Lady Eli since her return from a 13-month layoff to post a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa on August 27 at Saratoga. Sea Calisi, the winner of the Grade 1 Beverly D. on August 13 at Arlington Park, breezed for the first time at Belmont Park since July 17.

Beach Patrol went four furlongs in :50.04 seconds in his third work since winning the Grade 1 Secretariat on August 13.

"They all came out of it fine, I was happy with all of them," said Brown, who is at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, by phone.
 

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Alpha Delta Stable's undefeated Grade 2 Lake George winner Ancient Secrettops the list of turf contenders expected to step into the starting gate for Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies, the first graded stakes of the Belmont Fall meet.

As one of eight nominees from the Chad Brown stable, the daughter of Kantharos is likely to be joined by stablemate and Grade 3 Boiling Spring runner-up Galileo's Song. Elysea's World, second in the Lake George and fourth in the Grade 2 Lake Placid this summer, and Noble Beauty, Grade 3 Pucker Up winner via DQ, are possible to round out the Brown-trained contingent. 

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey is likely to saddle Stuart Janney III's homebred On Leave, 2 ½-length winner of the Riskaverse on August 25 at Saratoga and half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Ironicus, while French trainer Francois Rohaut is expected to send Irish-bred group 3 winner Al Jazi for her North American debut.

Rounding out the list of likely entrants for the Sands Point, at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf, is Diamond Fields, third last time out in the Lake Placid for trainer Tommy Stack.

Lake Placid heroine Time and Motion is possible for owner-breeder Phillips Racing Partnership and trainer Jimmy Toner. Stella Rose, a one-length allowance winner on August 27, is questionable for the Christophe Clement barn.