Epicenter's Travers position only stronger with Charge It's defection

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If Epicenter wasn’t already a solid favorite for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers, his position became that much stronger Sunday with the news that Charge It, the 23-length winner of the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes on July 2, will miss the race with a foot injury.

Charge It had been dealing with a foot abscess that popped early Sunday morning in time for trainer Todd Pletcher to gallop the colt late Sunday morning. But the horse came back with blood trickling from his right front foot, ending any idea of breezing the horse Monday, thus forcing him to skip the race.

“It’s one of those things where if we didn’t need to breeze again we might be able to get it healed up before the race,” Pletcher said. “But needing to get another work into him, it’s unfortunate timing.”

Pletcher said if the foot heals in time to get a work or two into Charge It, he could be aimed at the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing.

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Charge It’s defection brought the expected field for the Travers to eight. The field was to be finalized Tuesday night when post positions were to be drawn at the Adelphi Hotel.

As of Monday, the Travers field, with riders, was to include Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Sonny Leon); Jim Dandy winner and Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Epicenter (Joel Rosario); Blue Grass winner and Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Zandon (Flavien Prat); Preakness winner Early Voting (Jose Ortiz); Arkansas Derby and Haskell winner Cyberknife (Florent Geroux); Iowa Derby winner Ain’t Life Grand (Tyler Gaffalione); and Curlin Stakes one-two finishers Artorius (Irad Ortiz Jr.) and Gilded Age (Junior Alvarado).

There were only 12 nominations to the Travers. Among the others were Nest, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama; We the People, who is pointing to the Pennsylvania Derby; and Ethereal Road, who is likely pointing to the Grade 3, $200,000 Saranac at 1 1/16 miles on turf here Sept. 3, according to trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Steve Asmussen, trainer of Epicenter, sympathized with Pletcher and the other connections of Charge It, who could very well have been second choice in the Travers and was a key player from a pace standpoint.

“It’s very unfortunate. It shows how hard it is to get to compete at this level,” Asmussen said Monday morning. “A horse that wins the Dwyer by 23 lengths, targets the Travers, skips other lucrative spots aiming at this, then misfortune and bad timing. Makes you realize how fortunate we are to go into the race healthy.”

On Monday, Epicenter completed his preparations for the Travers with a relatively easy half-mile move in 50.20 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. Following two strong works the preceding weeks, Epicenter on Monday went his opening quarter in 24.95 and his second quarter in 25.25.

“Ideal for me, week of,” said Asmussen, still seeking his first Travers win having sent out seven runners in six previous runnings.

Epicenter comes into the Travers off a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes here July 30. That brought a bit of relief after runner-up finishes in the Derby to Rich Strike and Preakness to Early Voting.

“Love who we have to run in the Travers from a talent and physical standpoint,” Asmussen said Monday. “What a great opportunity. I loved how his race over the racetrack was in the Jim Dandy and how he’s trained since. Now my worries are I loved him going into the Derby, loved him going into the Preakness.”

While Epicenter had his final breeze Monday, six of the other runners worked Saturday and Rich Strike put in his last work Friday, a quick half-mile in 46.50. Rich Strike returned to the track with extended gallops on Sunday and Monday.

“He’s come back really good” out of the work, trainer Eric Reed said Monday. “I’m sure he’s ready to give us one of his best races.”

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The Travers will be part of a 13-race Saturday card that includes four other Grade 1 races – the Forego, H. Allen Jerkens, Sword Dancer, and Personal Ensign – as well as the Grade 2 Ballston Spa.

The long-range forecast for Saturday, on weather.com, shows sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s.