Gun Runner’s brilliant 2-year-old filly triumphed for the third straight time in as many starts in Sunday’s $400,000 Frizette S. (G1), drawing off to win the one-mile contest by 7 ¼-lengths.
Echo Zulu, who won the Spinaway S. (G1) in her previous outing, is one of Gun Runner’s four graded stakes winners from his ultra-impressive first crop of runners. Gun Runner sits atop the First-Crop sire list with $1.77 million in progeny earnings to date.
Echo Zulu, the heavy favorite in the field of nine, was keen from the break and took the lead from between horses, with Gerrymander a length back after a quarter-mile in :22.38. The margin got a little tighter at the half-way point before Echo Zulu edged away again on the turn. Gerrymander made another run at the lead nearing the top of the stretch, but Echo Zulu dispatched her for good and pulled away easily in the lane to finish up in 1:35.12.
Echo Zulu has now won her three starts by a combined 16 ¾-lengths, with her next start to be determined by her connections.
“It’s amazing. She’s a special filly and she’s by Gun Runner. How much better can it get? She’s better than good,” said her trainer Steve Asmussen. “She’s a Spinaway and a Frizette winner. That’s elite company. I’m proud of her. Good energy though the wire. She didn’t stagger in there and she set honest fractions.”
Echo Zulu has earned $440,000 for the team of L and N Racing LLC and Winchell Thoroughbreds. She is out of Letgomyecho, a Grade 2 winner who has produced nine winners, including Allen Jerkens S. (G1) winner Echo Town and Gotham S. (G3) winner J Boys Echo.
Echo Zulu was bred in Kentucky by Betz/Burns/CHNNHK/Magers/CoCo Equine/Ramsby.
Also over this past weekend on Saturday, Gun Runner’s 2-year-old colt Pappacap, who won the Best Pal S. (G2) Aug. 7 at Del Mar, became Grade 1-placed with a gallant second-place effort in the $300,000 American Pharoah S. (G1) at Santa Anita.
