Epicenter Erupts Late in Jim Dandy

Epicenter (Not This Time), a too-good-to-be-second as the favorite in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S., stamped himself as the horse to beat in the 'Mid-Summer Derby' with a powerful, last-to-first victory in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.

Zandon (Upstart), making his first start since a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, was 1 1/2 lengths back in second after racing prominently. Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), a last out winner of the GIII Ohio Derby, was another half-length back in third. The GI Preakness S. winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) tired to finish a disappointing fourth after setting the pace.

“It's extremely rewarding off two tough races to bring him back in the winner's circle where we think he belongs,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “[In] a four-horse field, it's always a lot of mobility. I was very happy with the solid, steady pace–I think that :48 and one, :12 for every eighth of a mile is what we're targeting.”

Epicenter established himself as the favorite on the first Saturday in May following impressive victories in both the GII Risen Star S. and GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. He will have another chance at his first Grade I victory in the GI Runhappy Travers S. at the Spa Aug. 27.

“What I loved about it is the fact that [there is] another eighth in the Travers,” Asmussen said. “It was his first race ever over Saratoga and we know what's on the menu next. We want to be as ready as we possibly can for it.”

Drawn on the rail following a late scratch in the four-horse field, the even-money favorite surprisingly trailed the quartet as Early Voting led them into the clubhouse turn with his stablemate Zandon tracking from second. Still in fourth with positions unchanged through fractions of :24.22 and :48.28, Epicenter, a $260,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, began to make his move as Early Voting was ridden as they hit the quarter pole. Well out in the clear at the top of the stretch, the Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC colorbearer launched down the center in eye-catching fashion to power past his three formidable rivals in style.

“He was very comfortable and with the scratch of the one horse [Western River], that put him in the one hole and he [Joel Rosario] made a decision early not to try to be squeezed up in there,” Asmussen said. “Once he eased him out of that spot, Epicenter was carrying Joel very comfortably the whole way down the backside. I was a little concerned how far back he was, but they threw up the middle fraction, they stayed at :12 [for the next eighth of a mile] and didn't back it up in his face. He had a shot from there. When he eased him out at the head of the lane, he was travelling really pretty.”

Pedigree Notes:

Taylor Made's Not This Time continues to cement his spot atop the third-crop sire list, getting yet another graded win with Epicenter's Jim Dandy. With just over 9% stakes winners to foals in his first two crops, he is more than holding his own among the top 10 leading sires in North America for the year as well. His 19 black-type winners–eight graded–also include GISWs Just One Time and Princess Noor. Both Epicenter and this spring's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner/GI Curlin Florida Derby third-place finisher Simplification are out of mares by Candy Ride (Arg), a still-active top Lane's End stallion who has 31 stakes winners out of his daughters.

Winner of Arlington Park's 2010 Hatoof S. as well as third in that track's GIII Pucker Up S., Silent Candy was a $130,000 Keeneland November purchase by Westwind Farms in 2014. Her 2-year-old Always Dreaming colt went through the OBS March ring after working in :10.1, then brought $140,000 from Carolyn Wilson as a private sale. Silent Candy has a yearling Tapiture filly and an Outwork filly foaled Mar. 14. before being bred back to Not This Time.

Saturday, Saratoga
JIM DANDY S.-GII, $558,000, Saratoga, 7-30, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.99, ft.
1–EPICENTER, 122, c, 3, by Not This Time
               1st Dam: Silent Candy (SW & GSP, $182,208), by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Silent Queen, by King of Kings (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Soundproof (Ire), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
($260,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC;
B-Westwind Farms (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario.
$330,000. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 9-5-3-0, $2,270,639. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zandon, 124, c, 3, Upstart–Memories Prevail, by Creative
Cause. ($170,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jeff Drown; B-Brereton C.
Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $120,000.
3–Tawny Port, 120, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by
Macho Uno. ($430,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $72,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 2.70, 8.70.
Also Ran: Early Voting. Scratched: Western River. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.