J Boys Echo Bought With Classics in Mind

One of the promising 2-year-olds from the Albaugh Family Stable in 2015 was a son of Unbridled's Song named Unbridled Outlaw, who finished third in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs for trainer Dale Romans.

So it was only natural that when the Albaugh Family team was scouting that year's Keeneland September yearling sale for future racing prospects, they took a close look at Unbridled Outlaw's half brother by Mineshaft  , who was consigned by co-breeder Bill Betz.

"At the time we had Unbridled Outlaw, who showed a tremendous amount of talent," said Albaugh Family Stable general manager Jason Loutsch, who explained the Mineshaft yearling colt was entered the Saturday of the first week of the sale. "So before we left (Keeneland on Friday), we looked at the Mineshaft and fell in love with him too."

Represented by Steve Castagnola of Kempton Bloodstock, the Albaughs went to $485,000 to acquire the colt later named J Boys Echo, who stamped himself a contender on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year with an impressive victory in the Gotham Stakes (G3).

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With a record of 2-1-1 and $349,000 in earnings from seven starts, J Boys Echo is entered in the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1) and his auction price is second only behind the $1.2 million paid for Tapwrit among those entered in the classic.

The bay colt is coming off a 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) after being slammed at the start of the 1 1/4-mile classic.

In addition to his looks and close relationship to Unbridled Outlaw, who still is in training, J Boys Echo appealed to the Albaugh team because he was sired by Mineshaft, Lane's End's ultra-consistent son of A.P. Indy. In addition to Betz, co-breeders of J Boys Echo include J. Betz, James Blackburn, Ramsby, and CNHHNK.

"When we go to the sales, we are looking for horses that can get the classic distance, and being by Mineshaft, he absolutely fit the bill," said Loutsch, son-in-law of Albaugh Family Stable's founder Dennis Albaugh. "We were all in on the Mineshaft part and felt it would help the mare's side a little bit. He checked all the boxes for what we were looking for. He was a very good looking colt who looked like a two-turn colt.

"We were on the phone with Steve that day and were fortunate enough to get him because ($485,000) was absolutely our very last bid."

In his debut at Churchill Downs last fall, J Boys Echo had the first of what would become a career of troubled trips. He got off to a slow start and then ducked in before he recovered to finish second in the 6 1/2-furlong test, his only start shorter than 1 1/16 miles.

Stretched out at Keeneland, the colt was steadied at the top of the stretch and checked before he went on to record a 5 1/2-length maiden victory. Elevated into grade 3 company, J Boys Echo made a late gain to fourth in the $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (G3) to conclude his juvenile season.

A month after finishing third in the grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack to begin his sophomore campaign, the colt had a clean trip in the Gotham, where he raced off the early pace. He made a move on the outside in the upper stretch en route to a 3 1/2-length win over eventual Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Cloud Computing. In his final Derby prep, J Boys Echo bobbled and was bumped at the start in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) before again gaining at the end to finish fourth.

After all the difficulty J Boys Echo experienced throughout his races, Loutsch said the colt's connections, which now include nationally known chef and prominent horse owner Bobby Flay, are hoping for a clean trip so that the colt has the opportunity to display his talent.

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"He almost always has had a little bit of trouble, whether it's a bad start or getting stuck wide, but he runs hard and gives it all he's got," Loutsch said.  "If you look at all of his races back to his maiden race, he's had only one good trip and that was the Gotham. He sat behind the speed and did exactly what we wanted. Even when he won his maiden at Keeneland he almost fell down.

"We felt if he ever ran his race and got a clean trip and was on his 'A' game, he could compete with these kinds of horses and we're hoping for that kind of performance on Saturday."

Loutsch said J Boys Echo signaled his readiness for the Belmont with his most recent works, including a five-furlong breeze at Churchill Downs June 3.

"I think this is the best he's ever worked," Romans said.

"We think he has the pedigree to get the Belmont distance and he's doing super," Loutsch said. "His last two works proved to us he deserves a chance."

Regardless of the outcome Saturday, J Boys Echo already lived up to the Albaugh Family Stable's expectations by getting to the starting gate in the Derby.

"Our first goal when we buy these horses is for them to get us into the Kentucky Derby," Loutsch said. "That objective was met. He got us there. Obviously he didn't perform the way we wanted him to. He got wiped out at the beginning and had no chance. Everybody was talking about how Classic Empire got walloped. We got walloped just as bad, but it's just that Classic Empire is a brilliant horse and still ran fourth. We didn't respond after we got wiped out. He dropped the bit and never ran a lick.

"As a team we said, 'Let's just draw a line through that race.'"