Tag: Epicenter

Epicenter showed a new closer dimension winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Saturday. The victory puts the colt atop the 3-year-old class -- for now. (Image: Chelsea Durand/NYRA Photo)

Epicenter Answers the Question: Who’s The Best 3-Year-Old Today?

The shifting, quaking earth under the 3-year-old division slid once again Saturday, when 6/5 favorite Epicenter put away Zandon, Tawny Port and Early Voting, winning the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga by 1 ½ lengths. Put aside for the moment that Epicenter passed the $2 million mark in career […]

Epicenter hasn't run since finishing second in the Preakness Stakes May 21. He is the 3/2 favorite to win the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

Epicenter, Early Voting, Zandon: This Jim Dandy Lives Up to Its Name

The first thing that stands out about Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga is the “Grade 2” class prefix that comes along for the ride. There is no truth-in-advertising here. Not with this year’s 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy, which figures to answer more questions than who’s hot going […]

Early Voting worked out at Saratoga last week in preparation for Saturday's Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, the fourth race on this week's Cross Country Pick 5. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso)

Jackie’s Warrior, Zandon, Early Voting Head Cross Country Pick 5

The return of Jackie’s Warrior to Saratoga and the return of Triple Crown veterans to the track highlight this week’s Cross Country Pick 5. This week’s Cross Country Pick 5 is light on the stakes. Only two make this week’s wager: the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes and the […]

What a winning Pick 5 ticket looks like. OG News' Brian Robin hit this on Canterbury Park's Northern Stars Turf Festival June 22. (Image: OG News)

The Highs and Lows of Being a Horseplayer, Pick 5s to Derby Downers

This spring, I endured the true ups and downs of being a horseplayer, which – as anyone who has ever placed a bet on the creatures who can’t explain themselves can attest – is a true manic-depressive exercise. First, the manic. Last week, I enjoyed one of the biggest highlights […]

Early Voting exits Pimlico Race Course Sunday, heading back to New York -- but not for the June 11 Belmont Stakes. The Preakness winner will run next in one of the summer sophomore preps. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Preakness Winner Early Voting, No. 2 Epicenter Early Belmont Defections

You won’t see the top two horses from Saturday’s Preakness Stakes in Queens, New York, next month, as trainer Chad Brown said Preakness winner Early Voting won’t run the June 11 Belmont Stakes. Nor will Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Epicenter. But Creative Minister, the third-place Preakness finisher, is likely […]

As the 6/5 favorite, Epicenter looked to be the horse to beat in Saturday's Preakness Stakes. Instead a bad start and poor tactics resulted in his second runner-up finish in as many Triple Crown races. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Epicenter’s Second Triple Crown Runner-Up Frustrates Asmussen

After Epicenter finished second in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Steve Asmussen was stunned. After Epicenter finished second in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, Asmussen was more than surprised. He was upset. Upset that his 6/5 favorite – who came into the 147th Preakness Stakes as the best all-around horse in the field […]

Early Voting (5) held off Epicenter (8) and Creative Minister (6) to win the 147th Preakness Stakes. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Early Voting Finds Target, Punches a Winning Ballot in Preakness Stakes

Chad Brown wanted Early Voting to have “a target” in the 147th Preakness Stakes. He wanted the lightly raced, but fast colt to go out fast – but he wanted someone else to go out faster. And Armagnac obliged. The California colt wasted no time taking the lead, providing Early […]

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas (right on his exercise pony) takes aim at his record-tying seventh Preakness Stakes title with filly Secret Oath. The Kentucky Oaks winner would be the seventh filly to win the second jewel of the Triple Crown. (Image: Maryland Jockey Club)

Breaking Down the 2022 Preakness Stakes: More Filly Follies?

The 2022 Preakness Stakes comes to you with a paradox, a wagering quandary that pits one 21st century trend against one 2020s trend. The trend this century is the friend to chalk. Since 2000, 10 favorites found the Pimlico Race Course winner’s circle. Oxbow at 15.40/1 in 2013 is the […]

Epicenter arrives at Pimlico as the most complete contender for the 147th Preakness Stakes. (Image: Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

Epicenter Ready to Turn the Page at Preakness

If going 4-2-0 in his first seven races is merely a warm-up for Epicenter, as trainer Steve Asmussen alluded to on Tuesday, we are apparently in for some kind of blockbuster main event at Saturday’s 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. “I think it’s a very unique opportunity and […]

Epicenter is the sizable favorite for Saturday's 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. (Image: Preakness Stakes.com)

Epicenter Named Decisive Favorite for 2022 Preakness Stakes

Kentucky Derby favorite Epicenter will reprise his role as a Triple Crown race favorite for the second time in as many races, coming into the 148th Preakness Stakes as the 6/5 morning-line favorite. Pimlico Race Course’s morning-line author, David Feustle, tabbed the Derby runner-up as the definitive favorite during Monday […]

Now that he's in the 147th Preakness Stakes, Epicenter will be the presumptive favorite -- even after his Kentucky Derby runner-up finish. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Kentucky Derby Runner-Up Epicenter Heading to Preakness

Epicenter’s connections were looking for a sign that the Kentucky Derby runner-up wanted a piece of the horse — Rich Strike — who upset him last Saturday. After receiving that sign during a Wednesday training session at Churchill Downs, Epicenter will run in the 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race […]

Epicenter did everything right except win Steve Asmussen his first Kentucky Derby. The 4.10/1 favorite adn Derby runner up is questionable for the Preakness Stakes. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Derby Aftermath: Stunned Asmussen, Preakness Probables

Still trying to process how his Kentucky Derby futility streak hit 24 races, trainer Steve Asmussen was non-committal on whether Derby runner up Epicenter would run the May 21 Preakness Stakes. The two-time Preakness winner was very committal on his level of disbelief at what transpired 50 yards from his […]

Rich Strike (right) passes favorite Epicenter with 50 yards to go to win the 148th Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs. At 80.80/1, Rich Strike pulled off the second-biggest upset in Derby history, trailing only Donegal's 91/1 shocker in 1913. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Rich Strike Bowls Over Rivals in Stunning 80/1 Kentucky Derby Upset

Rich Strike’s trainer, Eric Reed, nearly lost his entire stable in a barn fire. He got Rich Strike – a $30,000 claimer with one career win in seven starts — into the 148th Kentucky Derby with five minutes to spare Friday. When he left Post 21 at Churchill Downs, Rich […]

Taiba is attempting to be only the third horse to win the Kentucky Derby without running as a 2-year-old. Columnist and morning line author Jon White likes his chances. (Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Racing Veteran White Sees Plenty of Gray in this Kentucky Derby

Jon White wants you to know this Kentucky Derby prognostication stuff can get rather tricky. He once picked Point Given to win the 2001 Derby because he simply was the best horse in the field. Point Given picked the first Saturday in May that year to run the worst race […]

(Image: Churchill Downs/Coady Photography)

Breaking Down the 2022 Kentucky Derby: Chaos Theory Reigns

Welcome to Kentucky Derby 148, a.k.a. The Chaos Derby. And we’re not talking about the usual infield escapades that happen as the Derby returns to it’s pre-pandemic crowds north of 150,000. Unpredictability? Depth? A Derby where surprises almost wouldn’t be surprising? This edition of America’s most popular race has it […]

Zandon captured the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes shortly after he closed at 18/1 in the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool. (Image: Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Epicenter Finishes as Final Favorite in Last KDFW Pool

With four weeks remaining until the May 7 Kentucky Derby, horseplayers stuck by Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter, making him the 9/2 favorite in the fifth and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) pool. That pool closed Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, prior to the running of the final 170-point Kentucky […]

Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter took 5/1 favored status going into the final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool. That pool ends Saturday before the final major Derby preps begin. (Image: Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir)

Epicenter Your KDFW Favorite, Newcomer Messier Looms Large

The fifth and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) pool opens on Thursday with Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter the 5/1 favorite among the 23 individual and “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (aka The Field) choices. But, a newcomer to the pool should take plenty of money. That would be Messier, who makes […]

Slow Down Andy ran away from his rivals in Sunday's Grade 3 Sunland Derby. The California-bred colt will try giving Doug O'Neill his third Kentucky Derby win since 2012. (Image: Coady Photography)

Slow Down Andy Takes Sunland Derby Detour to Kentucky Derby

Slow Down Andy put two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill on a faster track for his third Derby title, capturing Sunday’s Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby and taking the 50 qualifying points that go with it. The half-length, come-from-behind victory over stretch leader Bye Bye Bobby brought 6/5 favorite Slow […]

Epicenter's record-setting victory in Saturday's Louisiana Derby further established him as one of the Kentucky Derby favorites. (Image: Hodges Photography/Lou Hodges Jr.)

Asmussen Sees Epicenter, Echo Zulu Take Different Paths to Victory

Among Steve Asmussen’s five Saturday victories at Fair Grounds came Epicenter’s record-setting Louisiana Derby win and Echo Zulu’s heart-stopping Fair Grounds Oaks win. Both victories brought more than a five-spot for Asmussen and jockey Joel Rosario. They brought horseplayers a key glimpse into how Asmussen will be a force in […]