SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Odds-on 3/5 favorite Echo Zulu delivered a strong gate-to-wire performance for her many supporters in Sunday’s $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
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Echo Zulu broke well from post 3 under Ricardo Santana Jr. and set off on a narrow lead with Benbang tightly pressing her through opening fractions of :22.07 and :44.73.
Pretty Birdie made a move heading into the far turn but dropped out midway through, and then Tarabi took her shot three-wide nearing the top of the stretch as Benbang gave way, but nobody was catching Echo Zulu.
The Steve Asmussen trainee stretched her legs out impressively in the stretch, drawing away to win the 7-furlong fast dirt sprint by 4 lengths in 1:22.51.
“I had so much confidence that I only wore two goggles for 7 furlongs,” said Santana Jr. “She was working real nice and today she improved a lot. I had plenty in the tank. I never hit her. She was running on strong.”
Tarabi held second by 2 3/4 lengths over Saucy Lady T, while Sequist rallied from last to take fourth by a head over Dream Lith.
Benbang, Sue Ellen Mishkin, Girl With a Dream, and Pretty Birdie completed the order of finish in the field of juvenile fillies.
Echo Zulu’s win followed an ultra-impressive debut victory going 5 1/2 furlongs here July 15 that garnered her a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. The Gun Runner filly, purchased for $300,000 last September, has now banked $220,000 and will likely target the 8-furlong Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on October 3, which is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
“That looked like it would translate to the Frizette pretty good to me, and that would hopefully be the bridge (to the Breeders’ Cup),” said Asmussen, who won his third Spinaway after saddling Hot Dixie Chick (2009) and Cashier’s Dream (2001). “To suggest what she can’t do right now would probably be a mistake.
Echo Zulu returned $3.30 to win, $2.90 to place, and $2.50 to show. Tarabi brought back $9.10 to place and $6.30 to show. Saucy Lady T paid $6.30 to show.
