TAMPA BAY TODAY – SAT

Things may finally starting to come together for Epic Journey (10-1) in the Saturday feature in Oldsmar.

It’s not because he’s exiting a key race that produced three next-out winners, or that Mark Casse has won with half the eight horses he’s shipped up from SoFla, or even as a thank you present for Jose Ferrer who helped get Helium home in the Tampa Bay Derby. Could be all of that.

But rather, he intrigues because Casse is insisting on turf, inly the second grass start for the gelded 5-year-old against some seasoned and sharp turf specialists. But his lone turf try was interesting.

It came following a three-month layoff after a barn switch, a race in which he was wide every step in another key event in which the winner exited to win a GP turf stakes and in which Epic Journey was beaten by less than six lengths while only ridden out down the lane.

Following the race, Epic Journey shipped to Casse’s Ocala Farm, was gelded, shows up here back on turf following some purposeful works and his tactical speed gives him a chance to trip out with these at a big price.

Check out his grass debut on on Tampa Bay Today video, DEC 16, RACE 9 at GULFSTREAM PARK and see if you think he had a legitimate excuse. Today’s company is by no means soft, then neither was the very classy group he met in his lone turf start. We’re attracted by the price.

Taking Epic Journey to win at 10-1 or greater and key-boxing trifectas with extremely sharp Quality Step (6-1), distance specialist Grand Journey (9-2), and the once-classy former Pletcher trainee, Current (8-1).