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First Winner For Late Stallion Effinex Comes At Saratoga

A powerful turn of foot in the stretch by Effinity led to the first winner for the late New York sire Effinex on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, BloodHorse reports.

After a slightly troubled start, Effinity ran three-wide into the turn, then swung even wider to take over the lead and draw off in the stretch by four lengths. The colt completed the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:06.36 over a fast main track under jockey Luis Saez. Brad Cox saddled the colt for Zilla Racing Stables.

Effinity was bred in New York by Barry Ostrager, out of the stakes-placed Freud mare Letsshootpool. Grade 3-placed Show Me the Cash is in his extended family.

Effinex, a son of Mineshaft, stood his lone season at Questroyal North in Stillwater, N.Y., then moved to McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds at the end of the season. The stallion died suddenly in the fall of 2017 at age six due to a pulmonary artery rupture, leaving just one crop of runners.

He was one of New York's most popular stallions in his lone season at stud, retiring to his native state after a racing career that saw him win nine of 28 starts for earnings of $3,312,950.

Effinex got better with age, developing into one of North America's top handicap division runners with wins in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, two editions of the G2 Suburban Handicap, the G2 Oaklawn Handicap, and the G3 Excelsior Stakes. He also finished second in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Where to Watch/Listen: Whitney Stakes Week 2020

The horse racing world like all other areas of society continues to make changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health crisis. Most racetracks currently operating are doing so without spectators, and have instituted strict safety screening protocols for essential employees who are already on the grounds to provide daily care for horses.

Keith James Asmussen Gets First Career Win

Calling it “the greatest win we’ve ever had” a little more than 24 hours after saddling a Grade I winner at Saratoga, trainer Steve Asmussen watched as his son Keith James Asmussen earned his first career victory as a jockey, guiding Inis Gulaire (Bernardini) to a head success in the Sunday maiden special weight finale at Lone Star Park (video).

The 22-year-old had ridden 16 races prior to Sunday, with four runner-up efforts–including in his first career ride June 15–and three thirds among them.

“It’s a dream come true,” the jockey said. “You know Lone Star has been open for 24 years and…my earliest memories are of coming here, so to get a win here is just surreal.”

Following the family celebration, Asmussen’s fellow jockeys carried him to the nearby fountain for a dip, a Lone Star tradition to mark a rider’s first win.Courtesty

The post Keith James Asmussen Gets First Career Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Dream Quist Becomes First Winner At Stud For Nyquist

Although favored at Churchill Downs last month, Nyquist's 2-year-old filly Dream Quist didn't quite seem to take to the sloppy going in her first start. However, she appears to have learned from the experience as she broke her maiden at Ellis Park to give her Kentucky Derby-winning sire his first winner as a stallion.

Although getting knocked around a bit at the start, Dream Quist didn't waste time getting into position and was soon tracking in third after a quarter of a mile.

As the field approached the turn, she took aim at the leader and sprinted by that one at the top of the stretch. The odds-on favorite passed tiring horses late to grab second but Dream Quist was 4 1/2 lengths clear at the wire.

Dream Quist was bred by Seclusive Farm LLC, Chester and Anne Prince, and James Murphy in Kentucky. She is out of listed winner Seacrettina who is a half to G2-placed Ramsgate.

Dream Quist was a $265,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton in 2019, a year in which Nyquist was the leading first-crop yearling sire by average. In 2020, he is the leading 2-year-old sire by median.

Nyquist resides at Darley's U.S. base in Lexington, Ky., where he stood the 2020 breeding season for an advertised fee of $40,000.

The post Dream Quist Becomes First Winner At Stud For Nyquist appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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