Sent off the lesser-preferred half of an uncoupled Steve Asmussen-trained entry at 13-1, Echo Town (Speightstown) was consigned to a three-wide, no-cover trip, but nonetheless went through his gears in a fast final quarter-mile to become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star' in the Big Easy.
Content to track from off the pace while monitoring the every move of his even-money stablemate Earner (Carpe Diem), a $425,000 Keeneland September graduate, Echo Town–himself a $100,000 purchase by the connections of GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee (Lookin At Lucky)–ranged up three wide outside of Earner nearing the stretch, claimed that one with relative ease with about a furlong to travel and was ridden out through the final sixteenth of a mile to score by about 2 1/2 eased-down lengths in a time that was only 0.84 seconds slower than that record by paternal half-brother Bobby's Wicked One in winning the Duncan F. Kenner S. earlier on the program. His final two furlongs were clocked in a slick :23.49.
A son of the 2005 GII Forward Gal S. winner Letgomyecho, Echo Town is a half-brother to J Boys Echo (Mineshaft), victorious in the GIII Gotham S. in 2017; and to Grade III-placed juvenile Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song). Echo Town is a half-brother to a Candy Ride (Arg) colt that fetched $150,000 at KEESEP last fall and a yearling colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Gun Runner. Letgomyecho visited fellow Horse of the Year American Pharoah in 2019.
8th-Fair Grounds, $50,000, Msw, 1-18, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.39, ft.
ECHO TOWN, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Letgomyecho (GSW, $136,200), by Menifee
2nd Dam: Echo Echo Echo, by Eastern Echo
3rd Dam: Kashie West, by Sir Ivor
Sales history: $100,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000. O-L and N Racing LLC; B-Betz, J Betz, Burns, CHNNHK Thoroughbreds, Magers, CoCo Equine et al (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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