Tag: Steve Asmussen

Epicenter To Stand at Ashford Stud

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter (Not This Time–Silent Candy, by Candy Ride {Arg}), a leading candidate for champion 3-year-old honors, will enter stud in 2023 at Ashford Stud. He will stand for $45,000.

Bred at Mike, Brent and Kevin Harrises' Westwind Farms in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Epicenter was hammered down to the Winchell team for $260,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale and was ultimately turned over to the operation's Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. A maiden winner at second asking going the one-turn mile at Churchill Downs, the bay romped by 6 1/2 lengths to become a stakes winner for the first time in the Gun Runner S. at the Fair Grounds last December before dropping a narrow decision when making his graded stakes debut in the GIII Lecomte S. An all-the-way winner of the GII Risen Star S. in February, Epicenter showed a new dimension in the GII Louisiana Derby, settling a bit further off the pace before quickening home to score by 2 1/2 lengths.

Epicenter's winter efforts made him the 4.10-1 favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby and he raced better than midfield, surged to the lead at the furlong grounds and was outfinished by Rich Strike (Keen Ice). He was similarly unlucky to not win the GI Preakness S., finishing runner-up to recent Coolmore addition Early Voting (Gun Runner) after a slow start and some upper-stretch traffic, but he atoned for those defeats at Saratoga over the summer with some authority.

Epicenter was a romping winner of the GII Jim Dandy S., besting Grade I winner Zandon (Upstart), and, at even-money, the GI Runhappy Travers S., where dual GISW Cyberknife (Gun Runner) was left some 5 1/4 lengths behind. His Beyer Speed Figure of 112 was the highest of any of his generation on dirt this year. Epicenter, who was pulled up when the second pick to Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic and is recovering nicely from his injuries, retires with a record of 6-3-0 from 11 starts and earnings of $2,940,639.

“Epicenter was solid all year and the Travers was the breakout performance he needed and deserved, and he did it in an emphatic way,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He put everything together on a grand stage.”

“He was a brilliant horse whose best racing days were still in front of him,” said Ron Winchell who raced the colt. “Bred on the reverse of Gun Runner's Candy Ride/Giant's Causeway cross he's a hugely exciting stallion prospect.”

“Epicenter is the best son of Giant's Causeway's best sire son Not This Time and is out of a stakes winner by the sire of Gun Runner,” said Coolmore's Dermot Ryan. “His combination of speed and stamina made him a potent force and he's a very good-looking horse to boot. Breeders are going to love him.”

One of three top-level and one of nine graded winners for his boom stallion, Epicenter is the most accomplished foal from his stakes-winning and Grade III-placed dam, who fetched $625,000 carrying a full-sibling to Epicenter at this year's Keeneland November Sale. Westwind acquired Silent Candy for $130,000 in foal to Scat Daddy at KEENOV in 2014.

 

WATCH: Epicenter storms clear in the 2022 GI Runhappy Travers S.

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Juveniles Headline Saturday Graded Stakes Action

Curly Jack (Good Magic) looks to return to winning ways at a venue at which he is already two-for-two in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs. A debut winner at this oval in June, he was off the board in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. in July, but missed by just a head in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. in August. Rallying to victory in this oval's GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 17, the bay was fifth at odds of 55-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4.

Steve Asmussen seeks his fourth win in this event and has two chances to do it. Red Route One (Gun Runner) looks to add his sire's long list of accomplishments with just two crops. After two tries on turf, including a maiden win, the Winchell homebred rallied to be third when switched to dirt in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 8 and was fifth three weeks later in a sloppy renewal fo the GIII Street Sense S.

His stablemate Gigante (Not This Time) won his only start on dirt and has made his other three runs on grass, including a dominant win in the Kitten's Joy S.

Ken McPeek also saddles two, the Street Sense runner-up Hayes Strike (Connect) and maiden winner of four starts Denington (Gun Runner).

One race prior the juvenile fillies get their time to shine in the GII Golden Rod S., headlined by a pair of undefeated debutantes, both of whom have scored all their victories beneath the Twin Spires. Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) won on debut here Sept. 25 and romped by 7 1/2 lengths over T Max (Connect) in the Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30.

Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) opened her account here with a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy effort Sept. 18 and took a sloppy optional claimer Oct. 30. She will attempt two turns for the first time here.

Bill Mott ships in with a live one in American Rockette (American Pharoah). Rallying to victory in an off-the-turf sprint at Saratoga July 21, the bay closed well to be fourth in that venue's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 4 and filled the same spot in Belmont's GI Frizette S. Oct. 2.

Woodbine also hosts a pair of graded events for 2-year-olds in the GIII Grey S. and GIII Mazarine S. Colts are up first in the Grey, which is headlined by Hal (Accelerate). A debut winner at this venue Oct. 2, he followed suit with a win in the Display S. Nov. 5.

Mark Casse saddles three members of this seven-horse field, all of which are fillies taking on the boys, topped by Forever Dixie (Quality Road). Graduating at fourth asking when switched to the local synthetic Oct. 1, she rallied to be a close second in the Glorious Song S. Nov. 5 and, like Hal, attempts two turns for the first time here.

Casse also sends out debut winner Ryder Ryder Ryder (Quality Road) and Renegade Rebel (Nyquist), who earned diploma over track and trip in her fourth attempt Oct. 29.

All three fillies are cross-entered in the Mazarine and will likely be split between the two tests. Also worth a look in the Mazarine is Honor D Lady (Honor Code), who graduated at second asking going this distance on the Gulfstream synthetic Oct. 7 and gets Lasix for the first time here.

Saturday's action also offers four graded events for older horses: the GIII Fall Highweight S. and GII Red Smith S. at Aqueduct, the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar and the GIII Berkeley H. at Golden Gate.

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November 19 Insights: Half to Sires Honor Code, Noble Tune Debuts

5th-CD, $120k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 3:01p.m. ET
Conditioner Steve Asmussen will unveil the regally-bred WITHOUT A SONG (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-brother to Champion older horse Honor Code (A.P. Indy) as well as GISP Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song); hailing from the female family of Hall of Famer and blue-hen Serena's Song (Rahy). This is also the family of MGSW Vocalised (Vindication) and Grand Reward (Storm Cat) as well as at least nine other graded and group runners beneath that stellar third dam. The late starter will have Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons. TJCIS PPs

6th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:31p.m. ET
OXO Equine's $450,000 KEENOV 2020 pick-up BROMLEY (Mastery) will show his mettle against a field of 11 others here in this baby dash beneath the Twin Spires. A half to MSP Crew Dragon (Exaggerator), and out of a half-sister to GSW Liam's Dream, the colt claims MGSP Local Hero (Hard Spun) as well as GSP Holdontoyourdream (Proud Citizen) in his immediate female family. This is the extended maternal line of Distorted Humor (Forty Niner). Paulo Lobo is the trainer. Farthest of all will be Lark's Mischief (Into Mischief), who is out of MGISP Miss Besilu (Medaglia d'Oro), herself a producer of MGSP Gun It (Tapit) hailing from Quiet Dance (Quiet American), better known as the granddam of Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) and dam of Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado). Steve Asmussen will send this one to post. TJCIS PPs

8th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 4:3p.m. ET
EVENT DETAIL (City of Light) will be another pricy runner to debut for OXO Equine on the Churchill Downs card. A $600,000 FTKNOV purchase in 2020, the colt is out of a young half-sister to GSW & MGSP Osidy (Storm Cat) and to GSW Quetsche (Gone West). The second dam is German High-weight older mare Que Belle (Seattle Dancer) who herself came from a very active European racing family. TJCIS PPs

5th-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:46p.m. ET
Centennial Farms picked up LITIGATE (Blame) for $370,000 at KEESEP last year, and he's been put into the Todd Pletcher barn for this unveiling. Out of an unplaced half-sister to MGSW Pacific Ocean (Ghostzapper) as well as SP Salsa Star (Giant's Causeway), who herself produced MGSW Blamed (Blame) and SP Chubby Star (Malibu Moon). Litigate put up a swift four-furlong work in :46.20 over the Belmont Park training track Nov. 11, making it the second fastest of a whopping 184 that morning. This is the extended female family of Champion 2-year-old colt Rhythm (Mr. Prospector), GISW Girolamo (A.P. Indy) and his full-brother GISP Accelerator. TJCIS PPs

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Asmussen Trio Tune Up at Keeneland

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen sent out a trio of breezers Sunday morning at Keeneland to their final preparations for next weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships. GI Classic contender Epicenter (Not This Time) covered a half-mile in an easy :50.80 (23/25); GI Juvenile Fillies-bound Grand Love (Gun Runner) went the same distance in :50.20 (19/25); and streaking GI Distaff hopeful Society (Gun Runner) got the half-mile in :49.60 (12/25).

“Epicenter worked a nice, smooth half-mile,” Asmussen said. “I am extremely pleased with how he is coming into the Classic.”

The six-time Breeders' Cup-winning conditioner added, “The track is in excellent shape, and it was a typical week of work for us. I am extremely happy with who we have and the shape they are in.”

Asmussen is expected to work four more of his Breeders' Cup contenders on Monday.

One other notable Breeders' Cup runner to work Sunday in Lexington was Edgeway (Competitive Edge), who will aim to go one better than she did in last year's GI F/M Sprint and who covered five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.20 (1/14).

“We looked at the weather and made up our minds this morning to work, even though it was coming back in five days,” trainer John Sadler said, alluding to a wet forecast for Sunday into Monday. “She went a minute and change and galloped out in 1:13, and she was well within herself. It was very good–nice and smooth.”

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