Sentient Jet is back for a seventh year as a corporate partner of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks and Churchill Downs and the private aviation company will team up with Derby contender Epicenter and Oaks hopeful Echo Zulu. Both horses will wear Sentient Jet branded blankets.
“The Kentucky Derby is tradition at Sentient Jet which is why we are excited to be partnering with Winchell Thoroughbreds once again in supporting Epicenter and Echo Zulu come Oaks and Derby Day. Under the training of Steve Asmussen, we are confident they will give an exciting performance on the racetrack,” says Andrew Collins President and CEO of Sentient Jet.
The fourth annual Derby Day Breakfast for Sentient Jet Card Owners will be hosted by celebrity chef and Sentient Jet ambassador Bobby Flay. In addition to cooking a Southern-inspired, Kentucky-influenced breakfast, Chef Flay will also be sharing his annual Derby Day betting tips via Sentient Jet's social channels www.instagram.com/sentientjet/?hl=en.
LOUISVILLE, KY – Just how deep is the 14-horse field assembled for Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks?
Unbeaten champion 2-year-old filly and 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), a game front-running winner by a nose while making her sophomore debut in the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, was installed as the third choice on Mike Battaglia's Kentucky Oaks morning-line at 4-1. Last term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine, a $300,000 Keeneland September Yearling graduate, was assigned post seven at Monday afternoon's draw held at Churchill Downs.
“She trains like a horse that expects to win and that's a wonderful thing,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said of the L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds colorbearer. “She got tired in her first race off the bench, but the fast fillies are inside of her and we are pleased to draw on the outside of them.”
Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin), a head-turning heroine of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland, was given the nod as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Oaks. The $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase will break from post four. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, also represented by longshots Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) (post five) and Shahama (Munnings) (post 13), looks to capture his second straight Oaks after saddling Malathaat (Curlin) to a popular score last year.
“I'm happy with the draws for Nest and Goddess of Fire,” four-time Oaks winner Pletcher said. “We were hoping to be somewhere in the middle. With Shahama, it's OK. She isn't real sharp away from the gate, so she may have a better chance out there than if she was stuck down inside.”
The ultra-impressive unbeaten GII Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Kathleen O. (Upstart), assigned post 10, is the second choice at 7-2. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey won the Oaks in 1993 with Dispute.
Secret Oath (Arrogate), a runaway winner of the GIII Honeybee S. and third as the favorite while facing males in the GI Arkansas Derby, drew the rail for the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, who is seeking his fifth Oaks victory. She is 6-1 on the morning-line.
From the rail out, the complete Kentucky Oaks field with morning-line odds:
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter (Not This Time) put in his final work ahead of next week's GI Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong drill in 1:01.00 (3/6) at Churchill Downs Sunday. Over a muddy track, exercise rider Roberto Howell piloted the GII Louisiana Derby winner through splits of :12.60, :24.40, :36.20, :48.40 and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80.
“Honestly I have so much confidence in Epicenter right now I don't think you could overdo it [with a horse like him],” trainer Steve Asmussen Sunday. “He has taken a lot of training extremely easy. And I thought he took the Louisiana Derby extremely easy, how he came back from the test barn and walked into the barn, and that's why his training and his works ever since have been faster, or stronger, than is the norm for me.”
Epicenter has been working in company with Gun It (Tapit), but his workmate Sunday was 4-year-old maiden winner Alejandro (Curlin).
“It felt perfect, knowing [Alejandro] and how he goes about what he is doing,” Asmussen said. “His previous workmate, Gun It, is a very strong, very physical horse…somewhat hard to manage, and that brings out a little extra in [Epicenter], especially getting to the pole, getting off, getting away from the pole and what you are getting out of it. And as you saw today, they were away from it a lot smoother, just a lot easier to the pole. Still strong, still very smooth. I think [Epicenter] is in a beautiful rhythm, and we are trying to create the circumstances and prepare for what we are expecting to happen in the races this week.”
Asmussen also sent out GI Kentucky Oaks contender Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) to work Sunday at Churchill. Last year's champion 2-year-old filly champion went four furlongs in :50.80 (33/42).
Echo Zulu ended 2021 with a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and gritted out a win while making her 2022 debut in the Mar. 26 GII Fair Grounds Oaks.
“I thought she won the Fair Grounds Oaks with natural ability and class,” Asmussen said. “She has put in solid training for the Oaks, and then put in a huge move last Sunday. Galloped from there. [Today's work] went typical for her, an easy half mile. I want her razor sharp and fleet as she can be for next Friday.”
Asmussen will be hoping to win his first Kentucky Derby Saturday, but would not admit to feeling any nerves ahead of the race.
“I'm not running. I'm good,” he said. “I am unbelievably excited to be doing this well with this much on the line. I had a pretty anxious drive last night with rain and thunderstorms for most of it, and if it's meant to be, then it's meant to be, but everything seems to be working out perfectly. This year's Oaks and Derby are extremely exciting with how strong the races look and how well all the horses are doing going into it. It is going to be an extremely exciting five or six days.”
Trainer Steve Asmussen sent his GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks hopefuls out to work at Churchill Downs Sunday morning. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Derby contender Epicenter (Not This Time) worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 (3/4), while Oaks hopeful Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) went the same distance in a bullet 1:11.80 (1/4).
With exercise rider Wilson Fabian in the saddle, Echo Zulu broke to the inside of regular workmate King Ottoman (Curlin), who was ridden by former jockey Eddie Martin, Jr. Echo Zulu worked through eighth-mile fractions of :12.20, :23.80, :35.60 and :47.40. She galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.20, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
Epicenter, with Fabian in the irons, worked to the outside of Gun It (Tapit) and Martin through splits of :13, :24.40, :35.80 and :47.20. He galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.20 and the mile in 1:41.
“We're so happy the weather has cooperated on our scheduled work days. The racetrack is in great shape this morning,” Asmussen said. “These were the most significant works for us. We're following a pattern that we're very comfortable with. I love the rhythm these horses are in. Both of these horses have kept their same workmates from New Orleans this winter. I'm unbelievably appreciative of the job Wilson and Eddie have done helping get them to this point.
“They've both started out as tremendous prospects and individuals. We're aiming with incremental improvement to not take too big of a leap forward. So everything is a building block to success. Since they have arrived here at Churchill that trend has continued. I was so excited with Echo Zulu's first work here.”
Japan's Derby contender Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}), winner of the G2 UAE Derby, put in a four-furlong work in :49.20 (35/58) under the Twin Spires at 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Working from the three-furlong pole, he clicked off fractions of :12.40, :24.80 and :37.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.40.
Continuing his Derby preparations at Gulfstream Park, White Abarrio (Race Day) worked five furlongs in 1:00.04 (5/13) after passing workmate Stormy Pattern (1:01.04) nearing the wire Sunday. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.58.
“It went good. I got him in :59 4/5. They got him in a minute. He worked with that horse before the Florida Derby, two weeks out,” Joseph said. “We kept everything the same, the same workmate, a similar pattern two weeks out. That time he ran a 1:02. This time he ran a little faster than a minute. Last time he galloped out in 1:13. This time he galloped out in 1:12.”
Joseph's lone previous Derby runner was Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who finished eighth in 2020.
“You just try to keep an even keel. It's a long way to go in horse racing terms–13 days,” Joseph said. “You just want to get through everything and ship up there fine and go into the race the best we can.”
White Abarrio is scheduled to breeze a half-mile next Sunday before shipping to Churchill Downs the following day.
Klaravich Stables' Early Voting (Gun Runner), considered possible for the Derby, worked four furlongs in :49.92 (44/118) over the training track at Belmont Saturday. The GIII Withers S. winner, who has made all three career starts at Aqueduct, was second in the Apr. 9 GII Wood Memorial.
“The work went fine,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He worked easy. It was his first work back and he was moving well. We haven't made any final decision yet on what we're doing in terms of the Derby, but I want to talk to Mr. [Seth] Klarman about it this afternoon a little bit more.”
Working at Keeneland Sunday, Oaks contender Yuugiri (Shackleford) worked five furlongs in company in 1:01.60 (10/20). She broke off at the half-mile pole and recorded fractions of :24.20 and :48.40. Jockey Flavien Prat was aboard for the work, pinch-hitting for Florent Geroux who has the mount in the Oaks. Prat rides G3 UAE Oaks winner Shahama (Munnings) at Churchill Downs May 6.
“She did it very easy,” said Prat. “I was very happy with the work.”
The work was the second since Yuugiri won the Apr. 2 GIII Fantasy S.
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset's wife, Brooke, oversaw the work for her husband, who was traveling back from Oaklawn.
“We got what we wanted this morning,” she said, adding that Yuugiri would work at Keeneland again next Sunday morning.
Also Sunday, Asmussen removed GIII Gotham S. winner Morello (Classic Empire) from Derby consideration due to a foot issue, allowing GII Louisiana Derby third-place finisher Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile) to move into the top 20 Derby points earners, and Jeff Drown's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart) arrived at Churchill Downs a day after working four furlongs in :48.60 (24/93) at Keeneland.
