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Kentucky Derby clocker report: Epicenter gets rave reviews

Mike Welsch |May 01, 2022

Churchill Downs
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 66
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The weather created a bit of havoc, both locally and out of town, on the training schedules for two of the key players in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, although in the end both Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter and Florida Derby hero White Abarrio not only completed their important final preps without incident but to rave reviews as well.

Overnight rain left the Churchill Downs main track muddy when it opened early Sunday morning, forcing trainer Steve Asmussen to delay Epicenter’s scheduled work a couple of hours, until the Derby-Oaks training session at 7:30. The track was still holding plenty of moisture and still officially listed as muddy, albeit harrowed, not sealed, at that time.

Although Asmussen traditionally gives his horses an easy, maintenance, half-mile breeze going solo five days in advance of important races such as the Derby, he took a different tact with Epicenter, working him six days out and sending him five furlongs, in company, with stablemate Alejandro instead.

Breaking off nearest the rail, Epicenter posted splits of 24.69 and 36.31 en route to a 1:01.21 final clocking before proceeding to gallop out full of run, six furlongs in 1:14.16 and up seven-eighths in 1:27.54. Epicenter was totally on his own throughout, looking keen to do more, especially on the gallop out, if allowed. The move was quite similar to, but arguably even better, than his previous work over a fast track here one week earlier and should have him primed for another big effort on Saturday.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. faced a similar issue with White Abarrio at Gulfstream Park when greeted with a very sloppy track for his colt’s scheduled work on Saturday morning. But unlike Asmussen, Joseph had to wait nearly ten hours to finally get a track condition to his liking, ultimately receiving permission from track management to breeze the Florida Derby champion over a fast strip between the final two races on Saturday’s card, shortly after 6 p.m.

White Abarrio went from the half-mile pole to the wire in 48.11 per Daily Racing Form, going very easily and on his own throughout, before being urged to complete what really appeared to be a five-furlong drill in a very sharp 1:00.12. He then sustained huge momentum around the clubhouse turn, galloping out three-quarters in 1:11.94 and seven-eighths in 1:24.81 before easing up a mile in 1:41.64. It was arguably his best move this spring and a major step forward off a bit of a disappointing five-eighths trial one week earlier.

White Abarrio was scheduled to van to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

Asmussen also had to postpone potential Oaks favorite Echo Zulu’s breeze not once, but twice on Sunday. The first time was due to the prevailing track conditions, the second time as a result of a training incident that forced the racetrack to be closed for nearly 15 minutes shortly following the conclusion of the Derby-Oaks session.

The reigning juvenile filly champ finally got to do her thing immediately after the second renovation break, over what had been upgraded to a “good” racetrack at the time, turning in one of those typical Asmussen maintenance breezes when traveling a super-easy half-mile in 50.84.

Crown Pride had originally been penciled in for an official work this morning, although his connections called an audible, with plans now to blow him out on Wednesday. But, official or not, Crown Pride has been “blowing” himself out on a regular basis the past several days, again getting very aggressive upon turning into the stretch during his routine gallops, covering the half-mile from the quarter-pole around the turn to the six-furlong marker in 53.38 seconds today, his final quarter, around the clubhouse bend, in a lively :26 flat with his rider having all he could handle to keep him from going even faster. The UAE Derby winner’s energy level continues to flourish since his swift and impressive half-mile drill here last Wednesday.

Summer is Tomorrow was also scheduled to work this morning, but his connections opted to wait another day due to the wet track conditions, although he did look happy galloping an easy 1 1/2 miles, coming down the stretch the second time today on his proper lead.