Echo Zulu Swings Back Into Action in Dogwood

Last year's champion 2-year-old filly, Echo Zulu , scratched moments before the start of the June 11 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park due to perceived unsoundness when headed to the starting gate, regroups under the evening lights at Churchill Downs in the $275,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) Sept. 24.

After the L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds-owned filly received a subsequent clean bill of health, according to Winchell Thoroughbreds racing manager David Fiske, her connections opted to proceed cautiously this summer. She walked for a few weeks and didn't resume a workout schedule until mid-August at Saratoga Race Course for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Now it's time for a return to racing action in the Dogwood, which coming around one turn at seven furlongs, seems to play to her speedy strength. Though she won around two turns last year in the 1 1/16-mile NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) during a 4-for-4 season, she didn't tower over the opposition in routes this year as a 3-year-old.

She just lasted in her season debut in the 1 1/16-mile Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 26, and then weakened to fourth after pushing a fast pace in the 1 1/8-mile Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs, her last start. After the Oaks, Asmussen planned to run her in shorter races.

Ricardo Santana Jr., her original jockey last year before Joel Rosario replaced him when he was mired in the slump last fall, returns aboard the 3-year-old daughter of Gun Runner  .

Asmussen and Winchell Thoroughbreds also have another Gun Runner filly in the race in Wicked Halo , a determined last-out winner of the Prioress Stakes (G2) at Saratoga. Tyler Gaffalione rides that filly, a five-time winner from nine starts. 

Saturday's race and the Oct. 22 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland are two of Kentucky's final sprints this year that are restricted to 3-year-old stakes fillies.

Echo Zulu isn't the only Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies participant in the Dogwood. Tarabi , who ran third, also competes.

The 3-year-old daughter of First Samurai   has also raced just twice this year, running second in a quick seven-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs June 18 and then winning the restricted Wilton Stakes July 14 going a mile at Saratoga.

Cherie DeVaux trains the First Samurai 3-year-old filly, who races for LBD Stable, Manganaro Bloodstock, and David Ingordo. Javier Castellano rides.

Chasing Fireflies , Colorful Mischief , Gunning , and Last Leaf  complete the field.

The Dogwood is among four stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday as part of an 11-race evening card that begins at 6 p.m. ET. Post time for the Dogwood, the ninth race, is 10:11 p.m.

Three-year-old fillies also race in the $160,000 Seneca Overnight stakes over a 1 1/16-mile trip. It is the seventh race of the evening at 9:05 p.m.

There, graded stakes-winning Turnerloose  takes on six rivals, led by Falconet , Cocktail Moments , and Skratch Kat . All three have shown potential and Cocktail Moments and Skratch Kat have run competitively in grade 1 company.

Brad Cox trains Turnerloose, a Nyquist   filly, for Ike and Dawn Thrash.

Entries: Dogwood S. (G3)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 24, 2022, Race 9

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $275,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 10:11 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Echo Zulu (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	1/1
2	2Chasing Fireflies (KY)	Gabriel Saez	118	John Alexander Ortiz	20/1
3	3Colorful Mischief (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	118	Todd A. Pletcher	8/1
4	4Tarabi (KY)	Javier Castellano	120	Cherie DeVaux	4/1
5	5Gunning (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	8/1
6	6Last Leaf (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	120	Eddie Kenneally	10/1
7	7Wicked Halo (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Steven M. Asmussen	7/2

Entries: Seneca Overnight S.

Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 24, 2022, Race 7

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $160,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 9:05 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Turnerloose (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Brad H. Cox	5/2
2	2Valentina Day (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	118	Ben Colebrook	15/1
3	3Falconet (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Todd A. Pletcher	3/1
4	4Take a Stand (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	118	Victoria H. Oliver	8/1
5	5Cocktail Moments (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Kenneth G. McPeek	2/1
6	6Skratch Kat (KY)	Joseph Talamo	118	Philip A. Bauer	5/1
7	7Sixtythreecaliber (KY)	Edgar Morales	118	Thomas M. Amoss	10/1