Echo Sound holds off Justinqueso in Dream Supreme
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Echo Sound fought off a stern challenge from Justinqueso and won the $300,000 Dream Supreme Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
A disappointing fourth as the favorite last month in the Thoroughbred Club of America, Echo Sound came through this time as the even-money chalk, prevailing by a neck.
Luis Saez rode the winner for trainer Rusty Arnold and owner Gabriel Duignan. Arnold said earlier this week that the Dream Supreme might be the last race for Echo Sound, who could be retired to become a broodmare.
Echo Sound, a 4-year-old by Echo Town out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Eagle Sound, has pretty much been all or nothing, and her career mark now stands at 12-7-1-0.
“She’s a good filly when she’s right. We spent six weeks getting her ready for this,” Arnold said.
Mystic Lake broke sharply from the rail and set the tempo, going the first of six furlongs in 22.42, but Echo Sound and Justinqueso loomed outside her going into the turn, and Mystic Lake had been displaced before the three-furlong marker. Justinqueso, racing widest, might have poked her nose in front at or around the quarter pole, but Echo Sound dug in after cornering for home and was edging clear under a typically strong finish from Saez.
“He’s hard to get by in the stretch, and we needed every bit of his ability,” Arnold said.
Haulin Ice was an early scratch, leaving a field of five, and only the top two really ran. Indy Bay briefly tried to get involved in upper stretch but sputtered through the final furlong, still managing to get third while nearly eight lengths out of second. Longshot A. Z. Wildcat was fourth and Mystic Lake brought up the rear.
Echo Sound ran her six furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.28 and paid $4.20, and if the Dream Supreme marked her final start, she went out a winner.
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