Winchell Thoroughbreds

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....

Getting down to business early, the champion 2-year-old filly from 2021 and 'TDN Rising Star' Echo Zulu, added the second graded stakes victory of her 4-year-old campaign with a geared-down win in the GII Honorable Miss H. Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course. Breaking from the inside post position, the 2-5 favorite rushed out to the early lead and was shadowed by Frank's Rockette through a quarter in :22.02 and a half in :44.45. Echo Zulu waved good bye to that foe at the top of the lane, striding clear...

2nd-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.71, gd, 6 3/4 lengths. DREAMLIKE (c, 3, Gun Runner--Time to Tap, by Tapit) began his career Feb. 11 in Hallendale, where he finished second in a mile maiden contest and in a 1 1/16-mile Mar. 11 main track race before shipping north Apr. 8 to Aqueduct to try his hand in the GII Wood Memorial S. Third in that Derby-qualifier with a blanket finish separating him from winner GSW Lord Miles (Curlin) and runner-up GSW Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), he was...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm (Gun Runner), last seen finishing fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby, surged past Verifying (Justify) in the final strides to win the relocated GIII Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park Sunday. Sent off the even-money favorite in the race originally scheduled to be run at Churchill Downs, Disarm rated along the rail within striking distance in third as the lightly raced Bo Cruz (Creative Cause) took the field through fractions of :24.46 and :48.73 over the sloppy going. Verifying, who was tracking the pacesetter throughout, took charge...

GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) worked five furlongs in :59.55 seconds over Belmont Park's main track on Monday in preparation for Saturday's $1.5 million GI Belmont S. With exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, the colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20. "He worked very well this morning," trainer Bob Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said. "It's a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we're just waiting for the race." National...

1st-CD, $127K, OC, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 10:30 a.m. EXTRA ANEJO (Into Mischief) makes his 3-year-old debut in the opener on Derby Saturday nearly seven months after blitzing a maiden special weight field by 9 1/2 lengths at Keeneland to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors last October. A $1.35m Keeneland September yearling, the Steve Asmussen trainee is out of a half-sister to MSW/MGSP Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}) and traces back to MG1SW and Eclipse champion grass mare Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), G1SW Greek Dance (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and G1SW Mountain High...

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm (Gun Runner) completed his major preparations for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby with a half-mile work in :49.20 (15/30) at Churchill Downs Monday. With exercise rider Wilson Fabian in the saddle, Disarm was accompanied to the track by assistant trainer Scott Blasi aboard one pony, while trainer Steve Asmussen followed close behind on another. Disarm completed an opening quarter-mile of :25 and was not asked to gallop out past the wire, which is typical in Asmussen's works less than one week out of a race. "We've been behind...

6th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:40 p.m. At Keeneland on Sunday afternoon, MAGIC TAP (Tapit) debuts for Winchell Thoroughbreds breaking from post three with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. The $450,000 KEESEP purchase, bred by Don Alberto, is a half to MGISW American Gal (Concord Point). Dam GSP American Story (Ghostzapper) is herself a sibling to G1 Golden Shaheen victor Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) and GI Apple Blossom scorer Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}), who went on to produce GSW Lake Avenue (Tapit). This Steve Asmussen firster fired a bullet work...

Currently on the GI Kentucky Derby bubble with 40 points, rallying GII Louisiana Derby runner-up and 'TDN Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner) will look to punch his ticket to the big dance in Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland. The Stonestreet Lexington is the final race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and carries 40 points that will be awarded on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis. A top-three finish by Disarm would secure the Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. The...

L and N Racing LLC and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly of 2021, turned in her first recorded workout since finishing second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint with a leisurely four-furlong work in :52.80 (11/11) at Fair Grounds Monday for trainer Steve Asmussen. "Echo Zulu is traveling well, looking great, and ships to Kentucky this week," said Winchell Thoroughbreds' general manager David Fiske. Asked if any potential races had been picked out for the filly's return, Fiske said, "No real schedule or...

Only one contender within the Top 12 was in action last week. But Sunday's news about 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) being declared off the GI Kentucky Derby trail left a void within the top tier that widens the gap between the juvenile champ and a cast of aspirants aiming to define themselves at longer distances. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP....

8th-FG, $50k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 5:45 p.m. ET WICKED AGAIN (Gun Runner), a full-brother to MGSW and last term's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint third-place finisher Wicked Halo, kicks off his career for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. The Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred, drawn on the inside in post two and favored on the morning line at 5-2, fired back-to-back, five-furlong bullets for this, including a 1:00 2/5 (1/8) drill Feb. 21. Wicked Again's dam Just Wicked (Tapit) won the 2015 GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga. The field of...