NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

After watching Echo Zulu deliver one of the most dominating victories in Breeders’ Cup history, co-owner Lee Levinson searched for words to sum up the feeling.

“I’m an attorney; I speak for a living and I can’t talk,” Levinson said.

What Levinson just watched had plenty of long-time racing fans and participants also searching for words. Without being asked by jockey Joel Rosario, Echo Zulu drew off in the far turn on her way to a 5 1/4-length victory in the $2 million NetJets Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

The ‘Echo’ victory followed the noise made by her sire Gun Runner four years ago at Del Mar, when he nailed down Horse of the Year honors with a 2 1/4-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the second edition of the Breeders’ Cup at the Southern California seaside track, Echo Zulu — from the first crop of Gun Runner— wrapped up a divisional Eclipse Award when she completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.24 on a fast track.

Echo Zulu is campaigned by L & N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds, the latter of which campaigned Gun Runner with Three Chimneys Farm. Besides Levinson, Tulsa, Okla.-based L & N Racing also includes his sons Andy and Michael as well as friend Don Nelson.

“She means so much to us and the fact that she is from the first crop of Gun Runner, everything that he did for us, it’s surreal that we’re back here at Del Mar for the second Breeders’ Cup when his crowning moment was the Breeders’ Cup here in 2017,” said Racing Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who conditioned Gun Runner and now trains Echo Zulu. “She’s just done everything right from the first time we got her. And for her to win in such an authoritative fashion in such an excellent time stands for a true champion.”

This year’s Juvenile Fillies saw just six starters with Echo Zulu starting from the outside post. Any concern about getting caught wide on the first turn was quickly erased when she bounced from the starting gate under Rosario to quickly establish a clear lead. Pocahontas Stakes winner Hidden Connection didn’t fare as well as she stumbled just a bit out of the gate and raced fifth into the first turn.

Echo Zulu, the 4-5 favorite, enjoyed a clear advantage through every point of call, well within herself as she cruised through a quarter-mile in :23.42 and a half-mile in :47.01 as Tarabi and Juju’s Map jointly pursued. On the far turn, jockeys Javier Castellano, aboard Tarabi, and Florent Geroux, on Juju’s Map, asked their fillies for their best to no avail. Echo Zulu only added to her advantage — without being asked.

Finally asked by Rosario, Echo Zulu would open up 3 1/2 lengths in early stretch and only build on that advantage to the wire. Juju’s Map would finish second, edging Tarabi by a half-length. 

Co-owner Ron Winchell noted that Echo Zulu became Gun Runner’s first Grade 1 winner with her victory in the Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, followed with a Grade 1 score in the Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park, and now gives the young sire a Breeders’ Cup winner from his first crop. Winchell marveled at the accomplishment.

“It’s incredible,” Winchell said. “It’s something you always dream about when you have a horse like Gun Runner, and a first crop getting going with what will be a champion 2-year-old filly. For us to actually own the filly, after what we did with Gun Runner, like Steve was saying, it just makes it that much more special.”