Phileas Fogg Looks to Emulate Effinex in a Suburban Stakes Loaded with History

NYRA recalled the unforgettable campaign of the dual New York winner, whose feat in 2015 and 2016 remains the most recent back-to-back victory in one of the most prestigious tests for older horses

Antiquarian and Phileas Fogg Settled the 2025 Suburban and Now Face a Renewed Clash / ADAM COGLIANESE

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special to Turf Diario).— The history of the Suburban Stakes (G2) is rich with great champions, but few left as deep a mark as Effinex. Hours ahead of a new renewal of the traditional handicap showcase for older horses—which returns this Saturday at Saratoga over 2,000 meters for a $500,000 purse—the New York Racing Association recalled the campaign of the remarkable New York-bred stayer, the last horse to capture the race in consecutive seasons.

Bred and owned by Tri-Bone Stables, the son of Mineshaft compiled nine victories from 28 lifetime starts and amassed earnings exceeding $3.3 million, though his name became permanently linked to the Suburban thanks to his resounding triumphs in 2015 and 2016.

Initially conditioned by Richard DeMola and David Smith, Effinex found his best form under the care of Jimmy Jerkens, who received the horse in 2014 and quickly unlocked his massive potential.

"I watched him run and thought Russell Cohen had a very good horse. After the Wood Memorial, he arrived at our barn and just kept improving race after race," Jerkens recalled.

Following victories in the Empire Classic and the Excelsior Stakes, Effinex endured a bizarre episode when he bolted sharply during the Brooklyn Stakes. That incident prompted the team to make some equipment changes to his bit configuration before taking on the 2015 Suburban.

With Junior Alvarado in the irons for the first time, Effinex engaged in an electrifying stretch duel with the reigning champion Tonalist (Tapit), winner of the previous year's G1 Belmont Stakes. After finding a seam along the rail at the top of the stretch, the bay colt defeated the favorite by a head in an unforgettable finish.

"It was one of the best trips of my life. I was boxed in, found just enough room, and from there to the wire it was a head-to-head battle with Tonalist," Alvarado remembered.

That campaign firmly consolidated him among the elite, highlighted by a runner-up finish behind the legendary American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic and a victory in the G1 Clark Handicap.

A year later, he returned to the Suburban looking to defend his title. This time, with Mike Smith aboard, he defeated fellow New York-bred Samraat (Noble Causeway) by a neck, becoming the first back-to-back winner of the race since Devil His Due (Devil's Bag), who was trained by Jimmy's father, the legendary Hall of Famer H. Allen Jerkens.

"That day the horse did everything right. He relaxed right where he wanted to, and when it came time to fight, he dug in with all his heart," Smith recalled of the victory.

That triumph would prove to be the final win of his career. Following four subsequent starts, Effinex was retired to stud in New York, where he died unexpectedly at age seven after just one season at breeding duties.

His legacy, however, remains untouched. This Saturday, when a new field of stayers steps onto the Saratoga track, one of them, Phileas Fogg (Astern {Aus}), will attempt to become the first horse since Effinex to achieve back-to-back victories in the historic Suburban.

"Effinex was a special horse, and the Suburban is a special race too. My father won it with Beau Purple (Beau Gar), with Devil His Due twice, and also with Political Force (Unbridled's Song). It's a race that has always meant the world to our family," Jerkens concluded.