Echo Zulu or Wicked Halo may skip Saturday's Dogwood

As the winningest trainer in the U.S. and Canada every yearsince 2020 and for all time, Steve Asmussen continues to be blessed with a talentedpool of horses who benefit from his expertise. He has had at least one Eclipse Award winner in his stable fourof the last six years, and his candidates this year may include Echo Zulu, Guniteand Clairière. At…

Notes & Quotes From the G1 Ballerina Stakes: Echo Zulu (Echo Zulu on Saturday at Saratoga / Photo by Joe Labozzetta & Courtesy of NYRa) From the NYRA Media Team: L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu outdueled the reigning Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive and drew off to a 2 1/2-length score in Saturday's Grade 1 Ballerina…

The tenacious Echo Zulu first to the wire in the Ballerina (Janet Napolitano) By Keith McCalmont - NYRA Press Office SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu outdueled the reigning Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive and drew off to a 2 1/2-length score in Saturday's Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap, a…

Echo Zulu won the 2023 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, a "Win & You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The Steve Asmussen trainee is still perfect at The Spa, with now 4 wins from as many starts. L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu outdueled the reigning Champion Female Sprinter Goodnight Olive and drew off to a 2…

G1 Travers Stakes Day Notes: Scotland Hunting History From the NYRA Media Team: LNJ Foxwoods' Kentucky homebred Scotland will have history on his side when he tackles Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, Grade 1 Preakness hero National Treasure and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets victor Arcangelo in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million…

Jared previews the 2023 Ballerina Stakes (G1) from Saratoga, then gives his top picks & long shots from this "Win & You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Winchell Thoroughbreds and L and N Racing's Echo Zulu puts her unbeaten 4-year-old campaign and lifetime perfect record at the Spa on the line in Saturday's Grade 1, $500000…

A pair of champions will face off in Saturday's $500000, Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga Race Course, a prestigious sprint for fillies and mares taking place over seven-eighths of a mile. But the outcome won't necessarily be what bettors expect based off a glance at the past performances. The Ballerina Handicap awards a "Win and You're In"…

Echo Zulu notches another Spa win in the Honorable MIss (G2) July 26 (NYRA/Coglianese) By Christian Abdo - NYRA Press Office SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- Winchell Thoroughbreds and L and N Racing's Echo Zulu puts her unbeaten 4-year-old campaign and lifetime perfect record at the Spa on the line in Saturday's Grade 1, $500000 Ballerina Handicap, a…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Foley Hopes Bango Can Tie Record In Upcoming Aristides Stakes (Bango and trainer Greg Foley / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers & Kevin Kerstein: Tamaroak Partners' Bango is one win away from tying the Churchill Downs all-time win mark set by Ready's Rocket from 2005-12. The…

Echo Zulu winning the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Dowsn Sept. 24, 2022. (Coady Photography) Churchill Downs Press Release LOUISVILLE, Ky.- L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple Grade I winner Echo Zulu headlines a field of six filly and mare sprinters that were entered for Memorial Day's 20 running of the $225000 Winning Colors Stakes…

With Gunite and Wicked Halo making short two-week turnarounds to compete in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland next week, bettors might feel some hesitation in taking either horse off such a break. But the short two-week break is likely not a huge concern when analyzing these horses. In the case of Gunite and Wicked Halo, perhaps they were only using…

As Keeneland prepares to host the 2022 Breeders' Cup in two weeks, the Lexington, Ky., track continues its October meet Saturday with a graded stakes for filly sprinters. Smash Ticket (5-2) is morning-line favorite for the Grade 2, $350000 Raven Run Stakes. Post time from Keeneland is 5:16 p.m., with FanDuel TV to broadcast the seven-furlong sprint…

In this week's Racing Roundtable, Kellie Reilly, Vance Hanson, and Alastair Bull talk about the championship aspirations of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and Cotillion (G1) winners, as well as Echo Zulu and other topics. Kellie Reilly: Taiba has one possible path to supplant division leader Epicenter, but it would require an incredible performance in…

G3 Dogwood Stakes: Echo Zulu Returns in Style (Echo Zulu / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Champion filly Echo Zulu broke alertly from the rail and used her tactical speed to wire the field of five 3-year-old fillies in Saturday night's 47 running of the $274000 Dogwood Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by a…

Champion filly Echo Zulu broke alertly from the rail and used her tactical speed to wire the field of five 3-year-old fillies in Saturday night's 47 running of the $274000 Dogwood Stakes (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., by a widening 5 ¼ lengths over Grade 1-placed Tarabi. Campaigned by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen for owners…

LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Champion filly Echo Zulu broke alertly from the rail and used her tactical speed to wire the field of five 3-year-old fillies in Saturday night's 47th running of the $274000 Dogwood Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by a widening 5 ¼ lengths over Grade I-placed Tarabi. Campaigned by Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen for…

Ifa pair of victories in $1 million races were the climax, then Echo Zulu'scomeback win Saturday in the Grade 3, $275000 Dogwood Stakes was the epilogue ona red-letter day for über stallion Gun Runner. Lastyear's juvenile champion filly Echo Zulu came back from her 4 1/2-month break -and her only defeat - to outclass four of her 3-year-old peers in…

Reigning champion 2-year-old filly and'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu made it five stakes wins on Saturday for her sire Gun Runner with a dominant performance in the GIII Dogwood S. under the lights at Churchill Downs. Last seen tasting defeat for the first time when a tiring fourth behind Secret Oath (Arrogate) in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks over…

No Decision Yet on Whether Team Asmussen Will Run Both Echo Zulu & Wicked Halo in G3 Dogwood Stakes (Wicked Halo / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churchill Downs Media Team: Winchell Thoroughbreds' racing manager David Fiske reported Friday morning that "no decision has been made at this time" if stablemates Echo Zulu and Wicked Halo will both…

When a heavy favorite starts at a lower price than the horse that beat him in their previous meeting, the latter is usually a value play. This pattern often happens in big stakes races where bettors favor fan favorites, even if they do not earn their role as favorite. In the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday, Taiba starts as the…

Seven sophomore fillies will run seven panels on the Churchill Downs dirt in Saturday's $275000 Dogwood S. (G3). Conditioner Steve Asmussen has a formidable duo signed on for the affair, but I will be seeking an upset with another talented three-year-old filly in the heat. Two-time Grade-1 placed #4 Tarabi (4-1) has never run a bad race in her…

Churchill Downs has one of its final prep races before the 2022 Breeders Cup season with the G3 Dogwood Stakes on Saturday, with Echo Zulu opening the program as the favorite at 1-1 odds. But the three-year-old filly will have a competitive field of six other horses ready to try and steal a win in the Dogwood. So here's a look at your best bets for…

Churchill Downs' Barn Notes: Echo Zulu Returns in Saturday's G3 Dogwood Stakes (Echo Zulu / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Churhcill Downs Media Team: L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' three-time Grade I-winning filly Echo Zulu will make her first start since finishing fourth in this year's $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade…

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' three-time Grade 1-winning filly Echo Zulu will make her first start since finishing fourth in this year's $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) when she goes to post as the likely favorite in Saturday night's 42nd running of the $275000 Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs. The seven-furlong Dogwood…

Streaking into her biggest test yet off four consecutive victories, Goodnight Olive looms the one to beat in a full field of 13 set for Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. A 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, the Chad Brown-trained filly was an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina in her most recent…