Sunday, January 16, 2022

Echo Zulu was one of three fillies named as a finalist for the 2021 Champion 2-year-old Female when the nominees were announced on Saturday.

The winners will be revealed at the Eclipse Award ceremony at Santa Anita Feb. 10.

Echo Zulu was a key component in Gun Runner’s record-setting season as the leading First-Crop sire of 2021. She is among the heaviest favorites to win an award following her undefeated campaign that was capped with a 5 ¼-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Prior to that, she dominated in both the Frizette S. (G1) and Spinaway S. (G1). Along with her debut maiden win, her average margin of victory was 5 ½-lengths.

Owned by L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds, Echo Zulu sold for $300,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling sale.

Echo Zulu is one of six 2021 stakes winners, four of them graded winners, by Gun Runner. The Three Chimneys stallion will have his first graded runners of 2022 when Pappacap and Cyberknife run in the Lecomte S. (G3) Jan. 22 at Fair Grounds.