Epicenter, Echo Zulu Continue Preparations at Churchill

On a crisp morning April 17 in Louisville, Epicenter  and Echo Zulu , the likely favorites for this year's $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), continued their preparation for the first weekend in May.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Epicenter worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 at 6:00 a.m. ET inside of three-time winning 6-year-old Gun It . About 20 minutes prior to Epicenter's move, L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' undefeated champion filly Echo Zulu cruised five furlongs in 1:00 outside of 3-year-old maiden colt King Ottoman .

Likely @KentuckyDerby favorite Epicenter inside of Gun It 5F 1:00.80. Splits: 12.60, 24.20 and 36. Out 6F 1:13.60, 7F 1:27, 1M 1:44. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/kIJYOkIvyR

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 17, 2022

"Sundays are a big work day for us," trainer Steve Asmussen said, who drove about eight hours overnight from Hot Springs, Ark. to Louisville. "We got to work Epicenter and Echo Zulu this morning. It was an exciting morning. The racetrack is in excellent condition."

Exercise rider Wilson Fabian was aboard both Epicenter and Echo Zulu for their respective works while veteran jockey Eddie Martin Jr, who has 4,084 career wins, breezed their company.

Epicenter clipped through opening fractions of :12 3/5, :24 1/5, and :36. Fabian and Epicenter continued to gallop out strongly around the clubhouse turn and onto the backside with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:13 3/5 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27. Epicenter finished his move with a one-mile clocking of 1:44.

Echo Zulu, the $400,000 TwinSpires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) heroine, began her work in similar fractions to her stablemate and clipped off eighth-mile fractions of :13 1/5, :24 3/5, and :36 1/5. She and King Ottoman galloped out to six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 and to seven furlongs in 1:28 1/5.

Echo Zulu outside King Ottoman 5F 1:00. Splits: 13.20, 24.60 and 36.20. Out 6F 1:13.40, 7F 1:28.20. #KyOaks pic.twitter.com/sBMeGMKM0l

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 17, 2022

"Both horses are training extremely well. It's obviously exciting going into the Oaks and the Derby to have two horses of this caliber doing so well," Asmussen said. "It's been standard (to work both of these horses in company) and the company they worked with is who they've been with in New Orleans. We're trying to create more of the same success they had there.

"With Epicenter the spacing of his races since December has been very effective for him. We're just trying to put the building blocks and space for him to handle the mile-and-a-quarter in the Derby here. I couldn't feel any better with how he's doing here and how he loves Churchill Downs."

Echo Zulu has been on a slightly different schedule this year than Epicenter. The winner of the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) made her 3-year-old debut in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

"Her coming off the bench in quite a layoff and a determined victory, I was anxious to get her here," Asmussen said. "She actually had not trained at Churchill. She went from Keeneland straight to Saratoga, then won at Belmont and went to California. She has taken to the racetrack in both of her works very impressively."

With less than three weeks remaining to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, several contenders continue to make their arrivals at Churchill Downs. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher's Derby duo of Charge It  and Mo Donegal  were expected to arrive Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, Oaks contender Venti Valentine  arrived to Barn 25 at Churchill Downs from Belmont Park.