Echo Again registered arguably the best race by a 2-year-old of the Saratoga meet on Saturday when he strode to an effortless 6 3/4-length maiden special weight win over the historic oval.
The final time was a dazzling 1:15.89 for the 6 ½-furlongs, earning the Gun Runner colt a TDN Rising Star tag, the sixth in Gun Runner’s young stallion career.
Echo Again served notice right from the break, going to the lead and holding it at every point of call. He led by about 1 ½-lengths at the top of the stretch when he suddenly accelerated away from the field without being asked, and then widened his lead to win going away.
“He’s a very special horse, has been all along. How fortunate are we to have another son of Gun Runner with this kind of talent,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “We are extremely excited about what kind of horse this is.”
Owned by his breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, Echo Again is a half-brother to Pegasus S. winner Pneumatic and is out of stakes-placed Teardrop, whose siblings include grade 1 winner Pyro, grade 3 winner War Echo, and multiple stakes winner Longview Drive. Teardrop foaled a Gun Runner colt this year and was bred to the champion sire for next year as well.
After finishing 2021 as the leading First-Crop sire, Gun Runner is dominating the 2022 Second-Crop list with more than $7.8 million in progeny earnings to date.
