See speed figures for 12 weekend graded-stakes winners
Epicenter's victory in the Travers at Saratoga on Saturday was notable in several ways.
Besides giving him his first Grade 1 victory after frustrating runner-up efforts in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, he also earned his highest speed figures: a 110 Brisnet Speed Rating, a 112 Beyer Speed Figure and a 129 TimeformUS Speed Figure.
With Joel Rosario riding, Epicenter covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.72 for trainer Steve Asmussen.
David Aragona of Daily Racing Form said in a Twitter post that the 112 Beyer was the second highest winning figure for a Travers since Bernardini in 2006, behind only Arrogate, who set the track record in 2016.
Aragona also noted that Rich Strike earned a 105 for his fourth-place effort – four points higher than his Kentucky Derby-winning figure. Cyberknife and Zandon, in second and third, also got 105 Beyers.
Tied for the best Brisnet rating of the weekend was Gufo, winner of the Sword Dancer (G1), also with Rosario aboard. He covered 1 1/2 miles on Saratoga's inner turf track in 2:28.92 for trainer Christophe Clement.
Here are the top Brisnet Speed Ratings for last week's graded-stakes winners, along with Beyer Speed Figures from the Daily Racing Form leaderboard, and TimeformUS Speed Figures.
| Horse | Race, distance | Jockey | Brisnet | Beyer | TimeformUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epicenter | Travers (G1), 1 1/4 miles | Joel Rosario | 110 | 112 | 129 |
| Gufo | Sword Dancer (G1), 1 1/2 miles (turf) | Rosario | 110 | 104 | 125 |
| Laurel River | Pat O'Brien (G2), 7 furlongs | Juan Hernandez | 108 | 108 | 120 |
| Goodnight Olive | Ballerina (G1), 7 furlongs | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 107 | 125 | |
| Cody's Wish | Forego (G1), 7 furlongs | Junior Alvarado | 105 | 112 | 126 |
| Malathaat | Personal Ensign (G1), 1 1/8 miles | John Velazquez | 104 | 105 | 120 |
| Technical Analysis | Ballston Spa (G2), 1 1/16 miles (turf) | Jose Ortiz | 103 | 101 | 124 |
| Jack Christopher | H. Allen Jerkens (G1), 7 furlongs | Jose Ortiz | 102 | 104 | 128 |
| Society | Charles Town Oaks (G3), 7 furlongs | Tyler Gaffalione | 98 | 121 | |
| Art Collector | Charles Town Classic (G2), 1 1/8 miles | Luis Saez | 96 | 118 | |
| Best Actor | Smarty Jones (G3), 1 1/16 miles | Florent Geroux | 96 | 117 | |
| Edgeway | Rancho Bernardo (G3), 6 1/2 furlongs | Hernandez | 96 | 116 |