Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Epicenter, Echo Zulu Breeze at Churchill

With less than four weeks remaining until the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen's duo of top contenders Epicenter (Not This Time) and Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) returned to the worktab Sunday at Churchill Downs for the first time since their respective victories two weeks ago in the GII Louisiana Derby and GII Fair Grounds Oaks.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter, the potential favorite in the Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:01 flat (7/22) Sunday at 5:50 a.m. while his stablemate, L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' champion filly Echo Zulu breezed 20 minutes prior and completed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 (5/22).

Epicenter, with exercise rider Wilson Fabian up, worked outside of fellow 3-year-old Guntown (Gun Runner) through fractions of :13 2/5, :25 2/5 and :37. The duo stayed together for most of the breeze and completed six furlongs in a comfortable 1:14 3/5 and were up seven furlongs in 1:29 2/5.

Bettors tabbed Epicenter as the 9-2 favorite in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closed Saturday prior to the runnings of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S.

Echo Zulu, with Fabian in the saddle, worked inside of debut maiden special weight winner Belle Rebelle (Upstart) through opening fractions of :13, :24 2/5 and :36. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 2/5.

Unbeaten Echo Zulu was named champion 2-year-old filly in 2021, capping off her undefeated season with an emphatic 5 1/4-length score in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). She dug in during the late stages of the Fair Grounds Oaks to hold off Hidden Connection (Connect) by a scant nose in her 3-year-old debut.

Echo Zulu is a perfect five-for-five and is one of several fillies that could vie for favoritism in the Kentucky Oaks.

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Elliott, Asmussen, End Zone Athletics Take Sam Houston Titles

Jockey Stewart Elliott picked up his second leading rider title at Sam Houston Race Park as the meet wrapped up its 50-day stand Saturday. Elliott had the support of trainer Steve Asmussen, riding first call for the Hall of Fame conditioner as he piloted 296 mounts, winning 62 races with earnings of $1,490,006. The successful union between Elliott and Asmussen began in Houston two years ago and has continued at Lone Star Park and Remington Park.

“I have to thank Steve Asmussen and all the owners and trainers who gave me opportunities and put me on great horses,” said Elliott. “Also, to my agent Scott Hare, who did a great job, as always. I'm very appreciative to be in this position.”

Asmussen won his 14th training title at the northwest Houston racetrack, following honors as top trainer in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Asmussen started 259 runners, finishing with a record of 51 wins, 41 seconds, 55 thirds and earnings of $1,554,306. He conditions Stonestreet Stable's homebred Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), who captured the richest race of the annual Sam Houston Thoroughbred season, the $400,000 GIII Houston Ladies Classic.

End Zone Athletics, Inc. clearly topped the owner standings, finishing with 22 wins, 29 seconds and 18 third-place finishes from 137 starters. The ownership group, founded by Karl Broberg, has been a force at Sam Houston for over a decade with previous titles in 2018 and 2020.

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Pair of Unbeatens Clash with Remsen Winner in Wood Memorial

The New York road to the GI Kentucky Derby concludes with Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S., featuring the winners of Aqueduct's GII Remsen S., GIII Withers S. and GIII Gotham S., respectively.

Morello (Classic Empire) brings a perfect three-for-three record to the table for Steve Asmussen following sharp, press-and-pounce victories in the Jimmy Winkfield S. Feb. 6 and one-turn mile Gotham Mar. 5. He is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for this first test around two turns.

“We're excited. The horse is doing well, he's super sharp and we think we have what it takes to get the job done,” said Dave Lyon of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, who owns Morello in partnership with Craig Taylor and Diamond T Racing. “Distance isn't a question mark for me. I think with the way he runs and his patience and class, it shows that he can do it.”

Early Voting (Gun Runner), drawn two inside of Morello in post three, will be on the engine beneath Jose Ortiz. The Klaravich Stables runner sped off to an impressive win in the mud over track and trip at just second asking in a live renewal of the Withers Feb. 5. The Withers field also included subsequent GII Rebel S. winner Un Ojo (Laoban) (second) and GII Tampa Bay Derby second Grantham (Declaration of War) (fourth).

“He went first time around two turns and he passed the test well,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He definitely gained experience and he appears to be training well. He prefers to be forwardly placed, so hopefully he'll be there again.”

The rail-drawn Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), a narrow winner over Zandon (Upstart) in a roughly run edition of the Remsen Dec. 4, ran on late to be a useful third as the favorite in his comebacker in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Feb. 5. The winner that day White Abarrio (Race Day) backed up that effort with a win in last weekend's GI Curlin Florida Derby. Mo Donegal was forced to miss the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5 with a temperature.

“I guess it was a blessing to get it out of the way then as opposed to now,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He's trained well since then. In particular, I thought his final breeze for this was very good.”

Pletcher continued, “The Wood fits well in the calendar for us and we've been pointing Mo Donegal there for a while seeing as he won the Remsen there. It makes sense to bring him back on a surface we knew he likes.”

Pletcher, also represented by Gotham third Golden Code (Honor Code) and four-start maiden Long Term (Curlin), has saddled six of the last 11 Wood Memorial winners. A victory would put Pletcher on even terms with the late fellow Hall of Fame trainer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, the all-time leading trainer in the Wood with seven wins.

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Epicenter Morning-Line Favorite in Final Derby Future Wager

Fans will have the final pari-mutuel opportunity to bet on this year's GI Kentucky Derby in advance of the May 7 race beginning Thursday at noon ET through Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET for Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”). Pool 5 of the KDFW features 24 betting interests and the 5-1 early morning-line favorite is Winchell Thoroughbreds' GII TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (Not This Time).

Unlike the previous three-day Kentucky Derby Future Wager opportunities, Pool 5 will feature an early start Thursday and will close Saturday prior to the first Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series event held that day. Nine individual betting interests in Saturday's pool are expected to run in that day's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S.

Here is the complete field for Pool 5 of the KDFW (with sire, trainer and morning-line odds): #1 Barber Road (Race Day, John Ortiz, 50-1); #2 Charge It (Tapit, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); #3 Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}, Koichi Shintani, 50-1); #4 Cyberknife (Gun Runner, Brad Cox, 12-1); #5 Early Voting (Gun Runner, Chad Brown, 20-1); #6 Emmanuel (More Than Ready, Pletcher, 20-1); #7 Epicenter (Steve Asmussen, 5-1); #8 Ethereal Road (Quality Road, D. Wayne Lukas, 50-1); #9 Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah, Richard Mandella, 8-1); #10 In Due Time (Not This Time, Kelly Breen, 50-1); #11 Messier (Empire Maker, Tim Yakteen, 8-1); #12 Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo, Pletcher, 20-1); #13 Morello (Classic Empire, Asmussen, 20-1); #14 Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile Pletcher, 30-1); #15 Simplification (Not This Time, Antonio Sano, 15-1): #16 Slow Down Andy (Nyquist, Doug O'Neill, 50-1); #17 Smile Happy (Runhappy, Kenny McPeek, 6-1); #18 Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front, Bhupat Seemar, 50-1); #19 Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile, Cox, 50-1); #20 Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb, McPeek, 12-1); #21 White Abarrio (Race Day, Saffie Joseph, Jr., 8-1); #22 Zandon (Upstart, Brown, 20-1); #23 Zozos (Munnings, Cox, 30-1); #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (15-1).

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