Winchell Thoroughbreds and L and N Racing's Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) has won three Grade Is and earned an Eclipse Award, but in Wednesday's GII Honorable Miss H. the 4-year-old filly added to her resume when she posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 112–the fastest number recorded by any horse going six furlongs this year.
“I'm extremely proud of her race. That obviously was an impressive race and that would put a [big] number on it,” Asmussen said. “I'm very happy with how she came out of the race yesterday. I'm unbelievably impressed with her and I honestly didn't expect anything less.”
While the GI Ballerina H. Aug. 26 at Saratoga is the likely next target for Echo Zulu, neither Asmussen nor Winchell Thoroughbreds' racing manager David Fiske ruled out a future start against males.
“It probably has everything to do with how Gunite [by Gun Runner, who is entered in Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.] does in the division with the common ownership,” Asmussen said. “But I'm definitely not scared to run her against anybody. We'll do whatever is best for the other horses that Winchell and L and N own.”
Winchell and Asmussen also campaign MGSW and MGISP Wicked Halo (Gun Runner), who won last weekend's Twin Bridges S. at Ellis Park.
“The plan last week was that if Wicked Halo ran well and Echo Zulu ran well, they would both show up in the Ballerina,” said Fiske. “We'll try to keep everyone healthy and go on down the path. People are speculating that Echo Zulu should go to the [GI] Breeders' Cup Sprint and pass the [GI Breeders' Cup] Filly and Mare Sprint. We do have Wicked Halo, but I don't know what we would do with Gunite because he could win the Sprint, too.”
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