Echo Town possible for Pat Day Mile

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Echo Town, the 3 1/2-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga, may have earned a shot to go a little farther in distance in the Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5, trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday.

Echo Town rallied from 4 1/2 lengths off the pace and widened through the lane to win the Jerkens convincingly, running seven furlongs in 1:22.53 and earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought he put it all together very well yesterday, he came home nicely and came out of it in good shape,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen said watching Echo Town run Saturday gave him confidence he’d be able to stretch out to a mile.

“He looked it yesterday, he really did,” Asmussen said. “Early on, he’s obviously shown good ability, a lot of fight to him. When you let him settle he did so way too much, and when he wasn’t all-out he slowed down too much. Yesterday, he stayed engaged nicely, didn’t give up position and had enough left to come home well. That dimension makes us consider farther.”

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Asmussen also mentioned the Grade 2, $150,000 Amsterdam Stakes here at six furlongs Aug. 29 as a possibility.

** Cross Border, the elevated winner in Saturday’s Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes, “came back super” trainer Mike Maker said, but it remains to be seen if he makes a third appearance at the meet.

Cross Border was actually beaten a neck by Sadler’s Joy in the Bowling Green, but the stewards disqualified Sadler’s Joy from first for interference in the stretch. Sadler’s Joy was placed fourth for bothering Cross Border and Channel Maker, who ended up crossing the finish line fourth.

Cross Border won the Bowling Green 10 days after he won the Lubash Stakes for New York-breds. Cross Border would have the option of running in the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer on Aug. 29 or the $150,000 West Point Handicap versus New York-breds on Sept. 4.

Cross Border, who earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the Bowling Green, is 5 for 5 over Saratoga’s turf course.

** Cariba earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for a half-length victory over Jakarta in Saturday’s $200,000 Caress Stakes for fillies and mares. Trainer Christophe Clement said he does not have a plan for Cariba’s next start though she is eligible for the $85,000 Smart N Fancy Stakes here on Aug. 27.