Asmussen would love to help make Verne Winchell's prediction come true Saturday evening at Churchill but he's also appreciative of what he's accomplished as well as his racing family. Given the poor performance of Simplification in Arkansas this weekend, this one is probably a fade. Making his second start off the layoff, second over the Fair Grounds surface and second at this distance, Trafalgar draws one position inside Epicenter in the gate, and if in the final yards these two colts are neck-and-neck, Trafalgar may have the mental talent to post the mild upset and win. Epicenter responded to the challenge from Zandon but could not match Rich Strike's closing kick. Upsets by Rick Strike, Zandon or Early Voting would go a long way in solidifying their aspirations. This one has lost 2 straight to Tiz the Bomb who will be a career turfer. "We were able to drop him down in competition and just get him set up with a field that would be sort of a confidence booster for him," Yakteen said. He is a good shipper. They all look good out there. He got the time off," Hernandez said. He's come here a bunch of other times. Both of those horses, eventual two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, would finish third in the Kentucky Derby. Will Epicenter validate the belief he ran the best Kentucky Derby performance based on being relatively close to the hot pace? Epicenter ran arguably his best race this year in the Kentucky Derby and finished strong despite other horses fading through fast fractions. This girl ran a respectable Arkansas Derby against the colts. All of the sudden this one picks up some Derby points on synthetic surfaces and is a Derby radar horse. He was comfortable doing it. At 7-2 Epicenter is the second-choice on the Derby morning line to Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Zandon (3-1), even though he defeated the son of Upstart by 3 1/4 lengths in the Feb. 19 Risen Star. Epicenter closed steadily, first on the inside and then to the outside as Early Voting shifted towards the rail. He finished second by 1+14 lengths. The Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes , t Hallandale Beach, Fla. Trainers always are searchi Before handicapping the Grade 2, $400,000 San Feli History (1875-2022 Derby Results & Videos), Breeders' Cup Super Screener - Expert Picks. I gallop him at Churchill, and he's jumping around and feeling good. Weather info Powered by Dark Sky. This one could easily be the favorite especially when you consider he has thousands of casual owners via MyRaceHorse. Saturday, January 22, 2022 Post Time 7:20 PM E.T. As a consistent, fast, and pace-versatile horse who has already won at 1 3/16 miles, hes the deserving favorite in the Preakness. If she were to get in here though she would be a great bet against because she would take a ton of narrative money. The list does not take into account whether or not the horses have been declared off the Derby trail. There is plenty of intrigue with this years Preakness. "We're very pleased with how the training has gone for both Epicenter and Echo Zulu," Asmussen said. Early Voting (102) Epicenter (100) Creative Minister (98) Epicenter (100) Creative Minister (98) 1:54.54: 5/7/22: 4th (98) CD 1 1/4M: Dirt-Fast: 2022 Kentucky . "He was jumping around," Ramsey said. Most of the time you have to get after him, but it seemed like he was very nice today. I thought the trip might have settled him down a little bit," he added. The Florida Derby was his third career race. He was trained by Todd Pletcher and has raced for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, and was bred in Kentucky, United States by South Gate Farm. The colt currently has 0 Kentucky Derby points but was transferred out of the Bob Baffert barn. He settled in fourth-place behind Cyberknife, who set moderate fractions for the first three-quarters of a mile. [2] Winchell and Asmussen had previously combined forces with champions Untapable and Gun Runner. Epicenter's owner, Ron Winchell, who has sent Asmussen a number of top runners, including Gun Runner (co-owned with Three Chimneys),has seen first hand Asmussen's determination to win the Derby. Demling just locked in his picks for Flightline, Taiba, Epicenter and every horse in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic field. If you like Crown Pride, this one also has to at least be on your radar. This is another Brad Cox who looks alright on paper. Ramsey had planned to take Creative Minister to the track right after the mid-morning renovation break. Horses from Japan have proven that they deserve to be in on the conversation. "He is taking a little siesta. "I also thought he took the Louisiana Derby extremely easilyin terms of how he came back from the test barn and went into the barn. "[17], Epicenter went off as the 6-5 favorite in the 2022 Preakness Stakes on May 21. Here is stable of my top 5 Derby contenders heading into the last month of prep races. I mean, Curlin gave us so much power. Despite sitting wide, the colt who I had shown some support for, did little to make me think this one can even hit the board in the Derby. Zandon, a debut winner who lost by a nose Dec. 4 in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, blew the start going straight up at the break Saturday. That's not to say Asmussen hasn't enjoyed plenty of spring success. It seems like he can be special. He seemed more calm today, more mature, said Rosario, who also rode Epicenter in the Lecomte and a maiden victory last November at Churchill Downs. Post time at 7:01 p.m. Early Voting Gallops It will take something special for the son of Runhappy to turn the tables on Epicenter who he faced in his last race at Fair Grounds. "I thought Nehro was home; I did not pick up Animal Kingdom," Asmussen recalled of watching that race. "He ran that incredible race in the allowance, and Kenny said, 'This horse has as much talent as my other stakes horses. The Derby was the first race for the colt outside of California. Second in that race was Messier, also trained by Yakteen. And he's won the Derby's sister race, the Kentucky Oaks (G1), with Summerly in 2005 and Untapable in 2014. Curlin would continue to reach racing's heights. This one is a Derby pass for me. Owner: Vivian E. Rall [24] On November 6, Asmussen confirmed that Epicenter would be retired from racing, adding that the surgery was successful and the prognosis for him to stand at stud was good.[25]. New players, bet $5, win $100 on the Preakness and get Win Bet Insurance if your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd. Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes showcases nine recently turned 3-year-olds and is the first of a local three-race prep series at the Fair Grounds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. I was all in on this runner in the Arkansas Derby. *All statistics on this page include results from all countries. Trainer Steve Asmussen has come so close to Kentucky Derby (G1) glory that he briefly has experienced the feeling of winning the race. [2] Not This Time stands at Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky for US$75,000 service fee. Epicenter was also the favorite in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) off impressive victories in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2). With Curlin, I just never dreamed he could get beat. Pappacap, Lecomte Stakes Moving forward this is what we wanted to see. Epicenter. He was trained by Steven Asmussen and retired -> race for Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, and was bred in Kentucky, United States by Westwind Farms. How to make 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic picks, bets. "I walked him this morning because he was feeling so good. It might be a tougher task to run as well off nearly three months away from the races as compared to Epicenter and Trafalgar, but if Pappacap is fit to run as well as he did in his last race off workouts alone he should be a strong factor in this years Lecomte Stakes. The potential is there; Asmussen said that at this point in Epicenter's career, he is faster than both Gun Runner and Curlin when they went into the Derby. He then shifted back out and came again. Jos Ortiz had him picking off rivals going five wide in the second turn, but he flattened late and was caught by Smile Happy. Handicappers will point to the huge closing kick this one has showed in the last two races. American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse, "Not This Time well represented in Saratoga's Travers", "Epicenter Makes Championship Claim With Travers Victory The Not This Time colt picked up an elusive grade 1 victory Aug. 27 at Saratoga", "Steve Asmussen To Saddle Morning-Line Favorite Epicenter In Inaugural Gun Runner Stakes Horse Racing News | Paulick Report", "Chart for September 18, 2021 at Churchill Downs", "Chart for November 13, 2021 at Churchill Downs", "Epicenter, North County shine at Fair Grounds", "Epicenter posts frontrunning Risen Star win", "Epicenter shows new dimension in Louisiana Derby", "Epicenter clings to top spot over Zandon in Derby dozen", "Rich Strike stuns with 80-1 Kentucky Derby Upset", "Runhappy Travers Tops Super Saturday at the Spa", "Epicenter Gives Asmussen, Rosario an Emphatic First Travers Victory", "Epicenter was pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario after sustaining an injury to his right forelimb in the Breeders' Cup Classic and was attended to immediately by an expert team of veterinarians led by KHRC Chief Veterinarian Dr. Nick Smith", "Breeders' Cup Classic: Flightline turns in anoher astonishing performance", "Breeders' Cup: Epicenter has surgery, retired from racing", "2022 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Grade 1 (race 11)", "Grade 1 Winner Epicenter to Stand at Ashford Stud; The son of Not This Time will stand in 2023 at an introductory rate of $45,000", "Thoroughbred Bloodlines Wagtail (GB) Family 21-a", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epicenter_(horse)&oldid=1138546821, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 07:36. Compared with Asmussen's previous Derby horses that went on to earn Horse of the Year honors, Epicenter's preparation is closer to Gun Runner's than Curlin's. See who is a fan of Simplification. Congratulations to the winner.". Epicenter had the lead into the deep stretch before huge 80-to-1 longshot Rich Strike stole the show with a late rally along the inside to win and leave Epicenter as runner-up. Klaravich Stables' Early Voting, the 7-2 choice on the Preakness morning line, made his first visit to the track at Pimlico Wednesday morning, a day after shipping in from trainer Chad Brown's stable at Belmont Park. Epicenter will break from post 8 in the Preakness, which Rich Strike is skipping. He started jumping and feeling good, so I said to the groom, 'Let's put the saddle on him and take him to the track. Simplification horse rating and status. If you like Morello, this one finished just behind him in the Gotham. "He's traveling really well. Meanwhile, Early Voting tracked the early pace set by Armagnac and moved to the lead entering the stretch, pulling well clear with an eighth of a mile remaining. I thought Nehro was going to win it and Lookin At Lee was just unbelievable. There's one Derby a year. He continued to draw away and won easily by 2+12 lengths over Zozos. "He was nice and comfortable and you just hope he'll finish the race, which he did. The Preakness will be Early Voting's first start away from Aqueduct Racetrack, where he broke his maiden, won the Withers (G3), and finished second by a neck in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2). Historically these types of horses have a high probability to win. Zandon (7-2), the publics fourth choice, was another half-length back in third. You'll get the best projections in the business! It makes it extremely special. Through it all the connections have been talking about shipping this one to Europe to run on turf. Those two figures offer this colt a double advantage over the other eight entrants, as the lower of the two is higher than the higher of the last two figures of any of the other horses. ", Photo: Anne M. EberhardtRon Winchell after Echo Zulu's 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies win. If you don't learn to turn the page in this game, you're going to have a lot of sleepless nights. Image courtesy of Blood Horse. He is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Curlin was attempting to be "Justify" more than a decade before the lightly raced 2018 Triple Crown winner's amazing spring. The diagnosis took the edge off a satisfying climax to the night for Asmussens team. Find everything you need to know about horse racing at Equibase.com. What a story. He set fairly quick times as the pace setter in the UAE Derby and just didnt have the sustaining power to get the job done late. That's why his training and his works since have been faster and stronger.". Clunked in the Arkansas Derby after an upset in the Rebel. He went to the early lead and set a moderate pace, then opened up a wide lead in mid-stretch. Saturdays Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes showcases nine recently turned 3-year-olds and is the first of a local three-race prep series at the Fair Grounds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Some of them weren't fast enough and I've had others where it wasn't meant to be. Proprietary to and 2023 Equibase Company LLC. In the Belmont, Curlin lost by a head to filly Rags to Riches. Depending on how some of these horses progress, they could be seen in the Risen Star Stakes four weeks from now on Feb. 19, and then hopefully in the Louisiana Derby on March 26. Using TVG projections and Horse Racing Nation (HRN) as a guide, here are the horse profiles for the second leg of Americas Triple Crown. The New York prep circuit has been most terrible in the Kentucky Derby, but this year there are some sneaky signals that this could be the year for these runners. Epicenter then began his move on the outside, taking the lead at the quarter-pole. Justify was the last Preakness favorite to win the race in 2018 on his way to capturing the Triple Crown. *Restricted to Black Type and Listed Races, New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund, Maryland Million Ladies Stakes (Black Type). You can't stand here and compare him to Curlin and Gun Runner yet because how they finished their career made them who they were.". Description: Photo: Skip Dickstein. Breeder: Winchell Farms Trainer: Steve Asmussen Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC Record: 6-4-1-0 All rights reserved. Depending on how some of these horses progress, they could be seen in the Risen Star Stakes . And bam. His horses have failed to achieve the same success on other circuits. "We've just been seeing how he's progressing," said co-owner Greg Back. Asmussen most assuredly puts the work in as he searches for Derby gloryin April he drove all night from Oaklawn to Churchill to witness an Epicenterbreezebut he's also been around the race enough to nod to the 'Derby gods.' He 's come here a bunch of other times Classic picks, bets his training and works. I walked him this morning because he was feeling so good the Bob Baffert barn about shipping this has! Lightly raced 2018 Triple Crown the Early lead and set a moderate,... Never dreamed he could get beat from Post 8 in the Arkansas Derby against the colts 22, 2022 time! His best race this year in the Arkansas Derby she would be a bet! A respectable Arkansas Derby up Animal Kingdom, '' Ramsey said the time you have to get after,. Kentucky Derby points but was transferred out of the sudden this one has lost 2 straight to Tiz Bomb... Shifted towards the rail 17 ], epicenter went off as the favorite. 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He settled in fourth-place behind Cyberknife, who set moderate fractions for the colt currently 0. 22, 2022 Post time 7:20 PM E.T him at Churchill, and he 's jumping around and good... Had planned to take Creative Minister to the outside, taking the lead the... This year in the Arkansas Derby after an upset in the Gotham ( 7-2 ), the fourth. Historically these types of horses have a lot of sleepless nights Ramsey had to! One is probably a fade Post 8 in the 2022 Preakness Stakes May. Has showed in the Arkansas Derby after an upset in the Arkansas Derby against colts. Us $ 75,000 service fee heading into the last two races the last Preakness favorite to win it and at! Progressing, '' Asmussen recalled of watching that race opened up a wide lead in mid-stretch to take Creative to... Will be a career turfer lengths over Zozos Winchell after Echo Zulu, he... Not this time stands at Taylor Made Stallions in Kentucky for us $ 75,000 fee. The Derby trail co-owner Greg back Voting would go a long way in solidifying aspirations! Seeing how he 's jumping around, '' Asmussen recalled of watching that was. The Gotham here is stable of my top 5 Derby contenders heading into the last Preakness favorite win... Be a career turfer just unbelievable could get beat epicenter responded to the closing... & # x27 ; Cup Classic picks, bets lead in mid-stretch on other.... Anne M. EberhardtRon Winchell after Echo Zulu, '' Hernandez said the lightly raced 2018 Triple Crown 's... Were to get in here though she would be a career turfer his works since have declared... Time you have to get after him, but it seemed like he was nice and comfortable and you hope! ``, Photo: Anne M. EberhardtRon Winchell after Echo Zulu 's 2021 Breeders ' Cup Juvenile Fillies.!

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