Top Asmussen BC Hopefuls Breeze at Keeneland

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' champion Echo Zulu  kicked off a busy morning Oct. 23 for trainer Steve Asmussen's possible contenders for the Nov. 4-5 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland.

With exercise rider Wilson Fabian aboard, Echo Zulu drilled five furlongs in :59 2/5 in company with Marsalis . The move was the fastest five-eighths of 30 this morning over the fast main track. Echo Zulu is being pointed to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).

Next was Peter Blum Thoroughbreds' Society , a dominant winner of the Sept. 24 Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing in her most recent outing. With jockey Florent Geroux in the irons, Society worked five furlongs in :59 4/5 in company with Ten Gauge . The 3-year-old Gun Runner   filly is slated to face older females for the first time in the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

Also working before 6 a.m. was Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere , who breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00 4/5 with Joel Rosario aboard in company with Brilliant Colors . The multiple grade 1-winning filly, fourth in last year's Distaff, will attempt to redeem herself in this year's edition.

Following the first track renovation break that ended at 7:30 a.m., Winchell Thoroughbreds' Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) hopeful Epicenter  worked 5 furlongs in 1:00 1/5 with Rosario up in company with Uncle Berkley.

"He's a nice horse and I am just glad to be on him," said Rosario, who has ridden Epicenter in his past seven races. "He's more mature and looks like he has grown and is stronger. He finished up good; training really good."

This was the fourth local work for Epicenter, who has compiled a 7-4-3-0 record in 2022, highlighted by a victory in the Runhappy Travers (G1) in his most recent start.

"This morning was more of the same," owner Ron Winchell said. "He did what he needed to do."

A quartet of Breeders' Cup contenders also worked Sunday morning on the West Coast at Santa Anita Park, led by likely FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) favorite Cave Rock . The undefeated Cave Rock breezed six furlongs in 1:11 1/5 on the main track for trainer Bob Baffert. Owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, the 2-year-old son of Arrogate enters the Breeders' Cup off back-to-back victories in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah Stakes (G1).