Echo Zulu

Echo Zulu (foaled April 7, 2019) is a retired champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and 2022 Fair Grounds Oaks, and was named the 2021 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.

Echo Zulu
SireGun Runner
GrandsireCandy Ride
DamLetgomyecho
DamsireMenifee
SexFilly
FoaledApril 7, 2019[1]
CountryUnited States
ColorBay
BreederBetz, J. Betz, Burns, CHNNHK, Magers, CoCo Equine & Ramsby
OwnerL and N Racing, Winchell Thoroughbreds
TrainerSteve Asmussen
Record11: 9-1-0
Earnings$2,640,375[2]
Major wins
Spinaway Stakes (2021)
Frizette Stakes (2021)
Fair Grounds Oaks (2022)
Dogwood Stakes (2022)
Winning Colors Stakes (2023)
Honorable Miss Handicap (2023)
Ballerina Handicap (2023)
Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2021)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (2021)
Last updated on 26 August 2023

Background

Echo Zulu is a bay filly who was bred in Kentucky by Betz, J. Betz, Burns, CHNNHK, Magers, CoCo Equine, and Ramsby. She is from the first crop of her sire Gun Runner, who was the 2017 American Horse of the Year and winner of the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic. Echo Zulu is the eleventh foal of racing age out of the stakes-winning mare Letgomyecho, who had previously produced Grade 1 winner Echo Town. She was sold at the 2020 Keeneland Yearling Sale for $300,000 to Winchell Thoroughbreds (which had owned Gun Runner during his racing career) and L and N Racing, which consisted of Lee Levinson, his sons Andy and Michael, and friend Don Nelson. She is trained by Steve Asmussen, who had also trained Gun Runner.[2][3]

Racing career

2021: Two-year-old season

Echo Zulu made her first start on July 15, 2021 in a maiden special weight race at Saratoga Racecourse. She pressed a fast early pace set by Lady Scarlet, then took the lead at the top of the stretch. She continued to draw away to win by 5+12 lengths. She was named a TDN Rising Star by Thoroughbred Daily News.[4][5]

In her second race, Echo Zulu stepped sharply up in class for the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes on September 5 at Saratoga. She broke poorly but quickly went to the lead, running the opening quarter-mile in 22.07 seconds and the half in 44.73. She started to draw away turning into the stretch and won by 4+12 lengths, becoming the first Grade 1 winner for Gun Runner.[3]

On October 3, Echo Zulu maintained her undefeated record in the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park. She took the early lead while setting moderately fast fractions, then pulled away in the stretch to win by seven lengths. Asmussen said that he had been worried. "I watched the race from up the stretch, a long ways across to the backside — (and they went) :22 and 1, :45 and change," he said. "But the first thing (jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.) said when he came back was that he couldn't believe how relaxed she was. He said her ears were up and she was relaxed and within herself."[6]

Echo Zulu shipped to California for her final start of the season in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on November 5 at Del Mar Racetrack. Asmussen decided to change jockeys to Joel Rosario but the tactics remained the same. Echo Zulu went to the early lead and set moderate fractions, then responded to a brief challenge by pulling away down the stretch to win by 4+12 lengths. "She is amazing", said Rosario. "Today she liked what she was doing up there (in the lead) and when I asked her, she just took off."[7]

2022: Three-year-old season

Echo Zulu was stabled at Fair Grounds Racecourse to prepare for her 2022 campaign. Her trainer Asmussen had two previous Kentucky Oaks winners Summerly and Untappable also wintered at Fair Grounds.

She made her first start as a three-year-old in the Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks which she won by a nose over Hidden Connection. Starting as the very short 1/10 odds-on favorite Echo Zulu bounced out in front and led by a length through the race and barely held on to game Hidden Connection who tried to overtake her on the line.[8]

The 2022 Kentucky Oaks, held on May 6, attracted 'arguably the best field ever' for the race according to The Thoroughbred Daily News'. In addition to Secret Oath, the field featured Nest (Ashland Stakes), two-year-old champion Echo Zulu, Kathleen O (Gulfstream Park Oaks), with several well-regarded longshots like Nostalgic (Gazelle Stakes) and Desert Dawn (Santa Anita Oaks).[9] Breaking from post position seven, Echo Zulu pressed on the outside of early leader Yuugirl. In the straight Echo Zulu was in the three path into the lane, made a bid down the lane but weakened late in the drive finishing three lengths behind winner Secret Oath.[10] After her defeat connections including trainer Steve Asmussen and David Fiske, racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds indicated that Echo Zulu would be pointed to the one-turn mile Grade I Acorn Stakes Belmont Park and would point to sprint races.[11]

Echo Zulu was entered to run in the Grade I Acorn Stakes on 11 June but was scratched at the starting gate on veterinarian advice.[12] The track veterinarian gave a clean bill of health, and her connections slowly brought her back to the races.

On September 24 Echo Zulu faced four other fillies in the Grade III Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs over seven furlongs. Starting as the 1/2 odds-on favorite Echo Zulu took charge leaving the gate and led every step of the way with splits of :22.92 and :45.82 enroute to a 5+14-length victory. Trainer Steve Asmussen praised her, "We’re just very happy to have her back. She’s extremely talented that we’re unbelievably blessed to be associated with."[13]

2023: Four-year-old season

After an extended layoff, on May 29 Echo Zulu returned to face four other fillies in the Grade III Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs over six furlongs. Echo Zulu lead quickly from the gate running the opening quarter under a loose hold from Florent Geroux in :21.75 while Fire On Time pressed the pace in second. At the top of the stretch in :44.62, Martin Garcia urged Fire On Time to put a neck in front but the small lead disappeared quickly when Echo Zulu forged ahead away down the lane in :56.41. Echo Zulu finished the event 5+34 lengths in front for a final time of 1:08.99.[14]

In preparation for the Breeders' Cup Echo Zulu sustained a biaxial sesamoid fracture of her left front fetlock while training. Echo Zulu had been stabilized in a Kimzey splint and would undergo fetlock arthrodesis surgery. That procedure stabilizes a horse's ankle, preventing joint movement by fusing it into a normal position for the leg. The procedure is credited with boosting survival rates.[15]

Statistics

Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish Winning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
Jockey Ref
2021 Two-year-old season
Jul 15, 2021 5+12 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 4.10 9 1 1:04.69 5+12 lengths Ricardo Santana Jr. [5]
Sep 5, 2021 7 furlongs Spinaway Stakes I Saratoga 0.65* 9 1 1:22.51 4 lengths Ricardo Santana Jr. [16]
Oct 3, 2021 1 mile Frizette Stakes I Belmont Park 0.35* 9 1 1:35.12 7+14 lengths Ricardo Santana Jr. [17]
Nov 5, 2021 1+116 miles Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies I Del Mar 0.80* 6 1 1:42.24 5+14 lengths Joel Rosario [18]
2022 Three-year-old season
Mar 26, 2022 1+116 miles Fair Grounds Oaks II Fair Grounds 0.10* 6 1 1:42.69 nose Joel Rosario [8]
May 6, 2022 1+18 miles Kentucky Oaks I Churchill Downs 4.00 14 4 1:49.44 (3 lengths) Joel Rosario [19]
Sep 24, 2022 7 furlongs Dogwood Stakes III Churchill Downs 0.51* 5 1 1:22.43 5+14 lengths Ricardo Santana Jr. [20]
Nov 5, 2022 7 furlongs Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint I Keeneland 3.63 12 2 1:21.61 (2+12 lengths) Ricardo Santana Jr. [21]
2023 Four-year-old season
May 29, 2023 6 furlongs Winning Colors Stakes III Churchill Downs 0.31* 5 1 1:08.99 5+34 lengths Florent Geroux [22]
Jul 26, 2023 6 furlongs Honorable Miss Handicap II Saratoga 0.40* 4 1 1:08.76 7+14 lengths Florent Geroux [23]
Aug 26, 2023 7 furlongs Ballerina Handicap I Saratoga 0.60* 7 1 1:20.95 2+12 lengths Florent Geroux [24]

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Echo Zulu was the post-time favourite.

Pedigree

Pedigree of Echo Zulu (bay filly, April 7, 2019)
Sire
Gun Runner
2013
Candy Ride (ARG) Ride the Rails Cryptoclearance
Herbalesian
Candy Girl (ARG) Candy Stripes
City Girl (ARG)
Quiet Giant Giant's Causeway Storm Cat
Mariah's Storm
Quiet Dance Quiet American
Misty Dancer
Dam
Letgomyecho
2002
Menifee Harlan Storm Cat
Country Romance (CAN)
Anne Campbell Never Bend
Repercussion
Echo Echo Echo Eastern Echo Damascus
Wild Applause
Kashie West Sir Ivor
Tatallah (family 16-g)[25]

Echo Zulu is inbred 4s × 4d to Storm Cat.

References

  1. "Pedigree of Echo Zulu". Equineline. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. "Profile of Echo Zulu". Equibase. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  3. "Echo Zulu Lives Up to Short Odds in Spinaway - TrueNicks.com". www.truenicks.com. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  4. "TDN Rising Stars - Writeup Page". TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. "Chart for July 15, 2021 at Saratoga". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  6. "Echo Zulu dominates Frizette". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  7. "Echo Zulu Obliterates Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Field". Paulick Report. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  8. "Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks Grade 2 - (Race 11)". Equibase. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. "Storming Into the Oaks". TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  10. Rollins, Molly. "Secret Oath gives Lukas fifth Kentucky Oaks win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  11. Ehalt, Bob (9 May 2022). "Echo Zulu Targets Acorn; Likely to Focus on Sprints Champion 2-year-old filly suffered her first loss when fourth in Kentucky Oaks (G1)". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  12. Ehalt, Bob (12 June 2022). "Clairiere Lands Ogden Phipps Over Malathaat; Stonestreet Stables' homebred Curlin filly earned her second grade 1 score June 11". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  13. King, Byron; Rollins, Molly (24 September 2022). "Champion Echo Zulu Returns Triumphant in Dogwood; Sixtythreecaliber, Gunite, and Home Brew scored in supporting stakes". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  14. McCroskey, Corrie (29 May 2023). "Echo Zulu Easy Breezy in Winning Colors on 2023 Debut; The talented filly proved a layoff was no problem for her May 29 at Churchill Downs". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  15. King, Byron (13 October 2023). "Echo Zulu Fractures Left Front Fetlock; Surgery Planned; Surgery is scheduled Oct. 14, trainer Steve Asmussen said". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  16. "Chart for the Spinaway Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  17. "Chart for the Frizette Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  18. "Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Grade 1 - (Race 7)". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  19. "Chart for the Kentucky Oaks". Equibase. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  20. "Dogwood Stakes Grade 3 – (race 9)". Equibase. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  21. "Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Grade 1 - (race 3)". Equibase. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  22. "Winning Colors Stakes Grade 3 – (race 8)". Equibase. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  23. "Honorable Miss Handicap Grade 2 – (race 4)". Equibase. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  24. "Ballerina Handicap Grade 1 – (race 10)". Equibase. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  25. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Polly Agnes - Family 16-g". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
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