Breeders' Cup: Epicenter has surgery, retired from racing

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Epicenter, the 3-year-old who was pulled up midway down the backstretch during the running of Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, underwent successful surgery Sunday morning to repair his injured right foreleg and, while he will be retired from racing, the prognosis is good for him to be a stallion, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

“Epicenter had a lateral condylar fracture of his right front,” Asmussen said. “This morning, Dr. Larry Bramlage inserted two screws to stabilize the injury and the horse is up and resting in his stall. After surgery, Dr. Bramlage and the Rood and Riddle team are very happy with how the surgery went and the prognosis is excellent for him to be a healthy sire.”

Asmussen, on behalf of himself, owner Ron Winchell and racing manager David Fiske, expressed gratitude to jockey Joel Rosario for getting Epicenter pulled up as quickly as he did, and to on-track veterinarians Dr. Nick Smith and Dr. Stuart Brown for providing on-track care, and to Keeneland for coordinating transportation to Rood and Riddle via police escort. Asmussen was also grateful to assistants Scott Blasi and Sarah Campion for riding the equine ambulance and staying with Epicenter at Rood and Riddle.

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“Enough cannot be said how thankful we are for everybody's urgency to ensure Epicenter's well-being and everything that was put in place to make the diagnosis for the on-site care, the transportation, Dr. Bramlage meeting him at the clinic, and then the care he has received at Rood and Riddle by the entire staff,” Asmussen said.

Epicenter, a son of Not This Time, is a leading contender for the Eclipse Award in the 3-year-old male division. After finishing second in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, Epicenter won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy and Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga. In the winter he won the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

Epicenter ends his career with a record 6-3-0 from 11 starts and earnings of $2,940,639.

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