Asmussen will run Disarm in Jim Dandy, Extra Anejo in Haskell

Victories in the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes in Saratoga last summer propelled the Steve Asmussen-trained Epicenter to an Eclipse Award as 3-year-old champion male.

In Disarm and Extra Anejo, Asmussen has a pair of 3-year-olds this year he’d like to get to the $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 26, the marquee event of the Saratoga meet that opens Thursday.

Disarm, who won the Matt Winn Stakes at Ellis Park following a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 29. Extra Anejo, who has two of three starts, will make his stakes debut in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 22.

Asmussen said the colts’ running styles helped to dictate those choices. Disarm, a son of Gun Runner, comes from farther off the pace than Extra Anejo, a son of Into Mischief, who lays a little closer, a style that traditionally plays well at Monmouth.

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“They’re unbelievably talented in a very deep crop,” Asmussen said. “Nothing but respect for who’s still out there, but I like us.”

Meanwhile, Echo Zulu, who kicked off her championship 2-year-old campaign in 2021 with two victories at Saratoga including the Grade 1 Spinaway, will make the second start of her 4-year-old season in the Grade 2, $200,000 Honorable Miss on July 26. On May 29, Echo Zulu won the Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs by 5 3/4 lengths.

On Sunday, Echo Zulu worked a half-mile in 49.95 seconds over Saratoga’s Oklahoma track.

Clairiere, a two-time Grade 1 winner this year, is on schedule for the Grade 3, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes here on July 23.

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