Epicenter, Echo Zulu Breeze at Churchill
With less than four weeks to go until the GI Kentucky Derby and the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Hall of Fame coach is Steve Asmussen’s top contender duo Epicenter (Not this time) and Echo Zulu (Gunman) returned to the desks at Churchill Downs for the first time since their respective victories two weeks ago in the GII Louisiana Derby and the GII Fair Grounds Oaks.
Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter, potential favorite in the Kentucky Derby, worked 5 stretches in 1:01 apartment (July 22) Sunday at 5:50 a.m. while his steady friend ta, L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds champion Echo Zulu fumbled 20 minutes earlier and completed five hooks at 1:00 on 4/5 (May 22).
Epicenter, with gymnast Wilson Fabian, worked out of 3-year-old Guntown (Gunman) through fractions of: 13 2/5, :25 2/5 and: 37. The duo were together for most of their brief time and completed six feather scissors in a time of 1:14 3/ 5 comfort and increased to seven feather scissors in 1:29 2/5.
Bettors have ranked Epicenter as the 9-2 favorite in Group 5 of the Kentucky Derby Futures Betting, which ends on Saturday before the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. GI kicks off. Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and GII Wood Memorial S.
Echo Zulu, with Fabian in the saddle, worked inside first girl special weight class winner Belle Rebelle (Start up) through the opening fractions of: 13,:24 2/5 and: 36. The duo galloped out six spans in 1:14 2/5.
The undefeated Echo Zulu was named a 2-year-old junior champion in 2021, ending her undefeated season with a score of 5 1/4 of a distinct length in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). She dug deep in the final stages of Fair Grounds Oaks to stop An Connections (Connect) with a small nose in her 3-year-old debut.
The Echo Zulu is a perfect five and one of a number of fillers that can contend for favoritism in the Kentucky Oaks.
Not a subscriber? Click here to subscribe to PDF or daily alerts.
This story was posted in Top News and tagged Churchill Downs, Echo Zulu, Epicenter, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Steve Asmussen.