Echo Zulu

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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
Record4: 4-0-0
Earnings$1,480,000[2]
Major wins
Spinaway Stakes (2021)
Frizette Stakes (2021)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2021)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (2021)
Last updated on 10 February 2022

Echo Zulu (foaled April 7, 2019) is an American Champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies to end a brilliant two-year-old season where she was undefeated in four starts including the Spinaway and Frizette Stakes.

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+1⁄2 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+1⁄2 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+1⁄2 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 will be stabled at Fair Grounds Racecourse to prepare for the 2022 Kentucky Oaks on May 6. Asmussen's two previous Kentucky Oaks winners Summerly and Untappable also wintered at Fair Grounds.

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+1⁄2 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 4.10 9 1 1:04.69 5+1⁄2 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. [8]
Oct 3, 2021 1 mile Frizette Stakes I Belmont Park 0.35* 9 1 1:35.12 7+1⁄4 lengths Ricardo Santana Jr. [9]
Nov 5, 2021 1+1⁄16 miles Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies I Del Mar 0.80* 6 1 1:42.24 5+1⁄4 lengths Joel Rosario [10]

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)[11]

References[]

  1. ^ "Pedigree of Echo Zulu". Equineline. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Profile of Echo Zulu". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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. ^ "Chart for the Spinaway Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Chart for the Frizette Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Grade 1 - (Race 7)". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Polly Agnes - Family 16-g". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
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