Echo Zulu, Microbiome Stakes Bound After Maiden Wins

Marylou Whitney Stables' Pretty Birdie  was not the only 2-year-old filly to open eyes on opening day, July 15, at Saratoga Race Course. L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu  and Joel Politi's Microbiome  blew away maidens in races earlier on the card.

Echo Zulu, a daughter of leading freshman stallion and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner  , posted the quicker time of the two by covering 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:04.69 under Ricardo Santana Jr. Microbiome (Twirling Candy  ) went the same distance in 1:05.60. Both fillies recorded identical 5 1/2-length margins of victory.

David Fiske, bloodstock and racing advisor to co-owner Ron Winchell, said that both the 6 1/2-furlong $200,000 Adirondack Stakes (G2) Aug. 8 or the seven-furlong $300,000 Spinaway Stakes (G1) Sept. 5 could be in play for the Steve Asmussen-trained Echo Zulu. The Spinaway is also a target for Pretty Birdie, trained by Norm Casse.

Echo Zulu, a $300,000 purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds from the Betz Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of grade 1 producer Letgomyecho , winner of the 2005 Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes (G2).

Letgomyecho's top foals include J Boys Echo  (Mineshaft  ), who captured the 2017 Gotham Stakes (G3), and Echo Town   (Speightstown  ), winner of the 2020 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1). Asmussen trained Echo Town for L and N Racing.

Asmussen also conditioned Gun Runner, who raced for Winchell Thoroughbreds with Three Chimneys Farm. Gun Runner stands at Three Chimneys in Kentucky.

"The assessment on most of the Gun Runners is that they don't have a lot of early gate speed, but they will keep running. Everyone has been excited that distance will be where they really start to excel," Fiske said.

While Echo Zulu pressed the early pace on her way to victory, the Tom Amoss-trained Microbiome led from start to finish under Tyler Gaffalione.

"She had trained really forward in the morning with all of her works in hand," said Politi. "Thursday, she broke sharply. Tyler shook the reins at the top of the lane and showed her the stick once but that was it. This morning, she looks like she didn't run. It didn't really take much out of her, and it looks like there's plenty more in the tank."

The daughter of Lane's End stallion Twirling Candy is a candidate to compete in the 2-year-old stakes program this summer at Saratoga, according to her connections.

Politi and Amoss previously teamed up to campaign multiple graded stakes winner Serengeti Empress , who won the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) in 2019 and last year's Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. She was retired last fall.

Bred in Florida by John B. Penn, Microbiome was bought for $100,000 from the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Sue Vacek. She is one of three winners produced by the grade 3-placed Smoke Glacken  mare Sonja's Angel .