2022 Eclipse Awards: Echo Zulu

Echo Zulu initially was meant to chase after a second straight Eclipse Award as the top 3-year-old filly of 2022, but a mid-course correction eventually was undertaken after the brilliant daughter of Gun Runner was defeated for the first time in the Kentucky Oaks.

Coming off a sensational 2021 during which she easily won all four starts to earn the Eclipse for outstanding 2-year-old filly, Echo Zulu remained unbeaten by winning by a nose in her 3-year-old debut, the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in late March.

Stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs, she faded to fourth after contesting the pace. Trainer Steve Asmussen then entered her in the Grade 1 Acorn five weeks later at Belmont Park, but Echo Zulu was scratched just before post time, ultimately diagnosed with a minor leg injury that kept her sidelined for the summer.

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Brought back to the races with a new plan, Echo Zulu blitzed four overmatched 3-year-old fillies in a 5 1/4-length triumph Sept. 24 under the Churchill lights in the Grade 3 Dogwood. Ricardo Santana Jr., who had ridden Echo Zulu in her first three starts before being replaced for the next three, was back aboard for the seven-furlong Dogwood.

“She is such a special filly,” Asmussen said afterward. “She’s a champion, and it’s very thrilling to get her back to her winning ways. It’s unbelievably exciting for the entire team.”

With longer races being unfeasible for the balance of the year, Asmussen then geared his thinking toward a first-time run versus older fillies and mares in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, a seven-furlong race on Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Forwardly placed under Santana while parked wide throughout from the outside post in a field of 12, Echo Zulu persisted to be a good second, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Goodnight Olive while another length before her stablemate Wicked Halo in third.

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“Ricardo was very frustrated with how wide she was, how much ground she gave up, but I was very proud of her effort,” Asmussen said. “At this level, give credit to the winner. It’s just sometimes the spot you want is taken.”

Echo Zulu was bred in Kentucky by a seven-way partnership and was purchased for $300,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale by the partnership of L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds. The bay filly was produced by Letgomyecho, by Menifee. Her 2-for-4 record in 2022 was worth $636,375 in earnings, bringing her updated career totals to 6 for 8 and $2,116,375.

Following the Breeders’ Cup, Echo Zulu got time off at Becky Maker’s farm in Versailles, Ky., ahead of being scheduled to return to Asmussen at Fair Grounds in mid-January for a 4-year-old campaign.

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