Echo Zulu wins Frizette, takes aim at BC Juvenile Fillies
ELMONT, N.Y. - Echo Zulu ran away from her nine rivals in the stretch and likely ran herself into the favorite’s role for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies by cruising to a 7 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park.
Able to make the front rather easily under Ricardo Santana Jr., Echo Zulu maintained a narrow lead over Gerrymander for the first six furlongs. Turning for home, Santana shook the reins at Echo Zulu and she opened up instantly.
Echo Zulu, a daughter of Gun Runner owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and L and N Racing LLC and trained by Steve Asmussen, was taken in hand during the final yards.
Gerrymander finished second, three lengths clear of A Mo Reay.
The win improved Echo Zulu’s record to 3 for 3 with a maiden win at Saratoga and Grade 1 wins in the Spinaway and Frizette. It also earned her a fees-paid berth into the BC Juvenile Fillies to be held Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
“She’s special,” Santana said. “When she broke her maiden we never expected she was ready for her first time out at Saratoga, and how she did it we knew she had some ability. She proved it today. She broke good, she was just waiting for the company and when the company came to her she took off again.”
Though Echo Zulu was sent off the 1-5 favorite in the field of 10, Asmussen had some concern because of a plethora of speed he saw in the race. Echo Zulu made the lead by running a quarter in 22.38 seconds and a half-mile in 45.98, with Gerrymander within a half-length. When asked, she opened up her lead after six furlongs in 1:10.40 and competed the mile in 1:35.12, getting a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. She returned $2.70 to win as the favorite.
“I thought there was nothing but speed in the race, I was very concerned with it,” Asmussen said. “But when you’re the favorite, you make them make adjustments around you, you don’t make the adjustments.”
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Echo Zulu’s dominance Sunday was reminiscent of the 5 1/4-length victory in this race by the Asmussen-trained My Miss Aurelia in 2011. My Miss Aurelia came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and be crowned champion 2-year-old filly.
“She’s a Spinaway and Frizette winner, that’s elite company,” Asmussen, who won his fourth Frizette, said of Echo Zulu.
Asmussen said Echo Zulu is scheduled to ship to Southern California on Tuesday to prepare for the Juvenile Fillies.