Back sprinting, Ladyecho wins

After three unsuccessful route races, Ladyecho returned to what she does best in Saturday's $60,000 Marshua Stakes, a six-furlong sprint at Laurel Park.

Ladyecho ($7), ridden for the first time by Oliver Castillo, made a big middle move to grab the lead in the race for 3-year-old fillies and then withstood a late rally by Powers Prospect to win by 1 1/4 lengths, her first victory in three months.

In her first three races, Ladyecho was a nose shy of owning a 3-for-3 record. But when trainer John Servis tried to stretch her out in her next three starts, she did worse as the distances increased from one mile to 1 1/8 miles. After she was beaten 19 lengths in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in New York, Ladyecho was given a brief freshening, and she flourished with the return to six furlongs.

Ladyecho covered the distance in 1:10.26 over a fast track.

Powers Prospect, the 3-2 favorite, went to her knees at the start but still managed to come from last in the field of six to finish a clear second. Love You Madly was third.