Epicharis adds international flavor
Could become 1st outside North America in 26 years to win Belmont
After Ireland’s Go and Go trounced the home forces by 8¼ lengths in the 1990 Belmont Stakes, Dermot Weld, the colt’s trainer, told the New York Times, “The world is not as big as people think. In the years to come, you’ll be seeing horses from all parts of the world racing here.”
Weld’s prediction has come true — sort of. Since Go and Go’s 1990 triumph, at least a dozen 3-year-olds based outside North America have tried the 1½-mile classic. Weld himself returned to the Belmont in 1995 with Off n’away, a full brother to Go and Go. The son of Be My Guest was afforded respect at 5-1, but could do no better than sixth, beaten more than 15 lengths.
Other foreign invaders have come closer. England’s My Memoirs ran second to A.P. Indy at 18-1 in 1992. And last year Lani, a Japanese-owned son of Tapit, finished third. But no foreign-based horse has won the Belmont in the 26 years since Go and Go’s feat.
Perhaps encouraged by Lani’s performance, Japan has sent another representative to this year’s race: Epicharis, a son of the Sunday Silence stallion Gold Allure. Epicharis won his first four starts in Japan by more than 25 lengths. In his most recent outing, on March 25, he was caught in the last jump by Thunder Snow in the UAE Derby. All five starts were on dirt. The Kiyoshi Hagiwara-conditioned colt arrived at Belmont Thursday after a long flight via Anchorage and Chicago. Early odds have the Japanese horse pegged at between 6-1 and 12-1.
Based on pedigree alone, Epicharis appears to have as good a chance as anybody to handle the Belmont’s mile-and-a-half distance. Sunday Silence, of course, is a recognized stamina influence, and Gold Alert’s victories include the Japan Dirt Derby at
1¼ miles. Broodmare sire Carnegie, a son of Sadler’s Wells, counted the 1994 l’Arc de Triomphe among his major wins. Epicharis likes to run forwardly placed, which, in a Belmont apparently lacking in speed, could work to his advantage.
The probable favorite in this year’s race remains Classic Empire. Depending on which horses actually run, the reigning juvenile champ could go off at odds as low as 2-1 — or possibly
even lower. Classic Empire overcame bad luck to finish a game fourth in the Derby, and then was run down late in the Preakness after leading by three lengths in mid-stretch. The son of Pioneerof the Nile has Belmont experience in his pedigree. Paternal great-grandsire Unbridled finished fourth in the 1990 running, while grandsire Empire Maker was victorious in 2003.
As of Monday noon, the Belmont appeared likely to draw at least 12 starters. It is a mixed group, with Classic Empire the lone Grade 1 winner — unless Santa Anita Derby winner Gormley also opts to run — and six horses who have yet to win a graded race at any level. Expected starters who ran in the Derby but skipped the Preakness include Irish War Cry, Tapwrit, J Boys Echo, and possibly Gormley.
Three of the last five Belmonts have been won by horses who ran in the Derby (none of them particularly well) but bypassed the Preakness: Union Rags (2012), Palace Malice (2013) and Creator (2016).