After winning her initial three career starts, she was beaten 2 1/2-lengths in second in Churchill Downs' Fern Creek Stakes, However, she showed that her latest may have been an aberration as she rebounded to score by two lengths in Friday's GIII Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
Echo Sound settled in a wide fifth as Hollygrove-with G W's Girl (Munnings) and Family (Sharp Azteca) in pursuit-carved out an opening quarter in :22.95. As You'll Be Back moved into contention along the inside, the pace-setting Hollygrove threw down a :46.14 half. Despite the best efforts of the frontrunners, however, Echo Sound stormed up on the outside to collar Hollygrove midstretch and forged clear late to win by a geared-down two lengths over You'll Be Back. Hollygrove held third. Favored Stunner (Girvin) never got into the mix of things and finished eighth.
“She broke pretty well. I knew she was going to be a little bit sharp,” said winning jockey Luis Saez. [Trainer Rusty Arnold] didn't give me any instructions. He told me, 'You know how to ride her. You know her. Do what you want to.'”
“So we decided to take her off the speed. I knew they were going to go pretty quick, so that was the best thing for her.”
Saez added, “I knew she was pretty fit. [trainer Rusty Arnold] was working her pretty nice.”
A narrow winner first out at Ellis Park last August, the bay came back to win next time in a Churchill optional claimer Sept. 12 before scoring by 2 ½ lengths in Keeneland's Myrtlewood Stakes Oct. 25. Most recently, she finished runner-up while extending to 6 1/2 furlongs in the Fern Creek Nov. 20.
Arnold said, “She's very nice. We loved her when she got beat [last time]. We had to stop on her. She came up with a little problem and got the winter off. We're pretty happy with her.”
He added, “She trained good. We were worried about the racetrack. Ended up lucky and got a fast racetrack. I loved the way she broke running. Luis let her settle back. You always worry you don't have her fit enough. But she was fit enough.”
Pedigree Note:
The first graded/group winner for Speightstown's Echo Town, the Ashford Stud sire's newest winner is a half-sister to GII Hagyard Fayette Stakes winner Pick of the Litter in addition to MGSP Deer District (Oscar Performance). The final registered foal out of dam Eagle Sound, Echo Sound hails from the immediate family of Grade I winner Competitive Edge.
Saturday, Pimlico
MISS PREAKNESS S.-GIII, $150,000, Pimlico, 5-16, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.14, ft.
1–ECHO SOUND, 124, f, 3, by Echo Town
1st Dam: Eagle Sound, by Fusaichi Pegasus
2nd Dam: Synformer, by Sovereign Dancer
3rd Dam: Anjelicco, by Angle Light
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Gabriel Duignan; B-Springhouse Farm, Vision TBs, Bruce Pieratt & Patricia Pieratt (KY); T-George R. Arnold II; J-Luis Saez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $363,745. *1/2 to Pick of the Litter (Kitten's Joy), GSW, $419,110 and Deer District (Oscar Performance), MGSP, $419,731.eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–You'll Be Back, 118, f, 3, Practical Joke–Advance Party, by Empire Maker. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($115,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $575,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Greenwell Thoroughbreds, LLC; B-Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss. $30,000.
3–Hollygrove, 122, f, 3, Complexity–Moon and Stars, by Orb. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($57,000 RNA Wlg '22 KEENOV; $65,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL). O-Legion Racing; B-Glendalough LLC (KY); T-D. Whitworth Beckman. $15,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, 3. Odds: 3.90, 29.40, 23.20.
Also Ran: G W's Girl, Mila Rose, High Paf, Not Too Late, Stunner, Volleyballprincess, Delray, Family. Scratched: Long Neck Paula, Vodka With a Twist.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
🗣 ECHO SOUND ($9.80) gets her first graded win in the $150,000 Miss Preakness Stakes (G3) at @PimlicoRC! The three-year-old Echo Town (@CoolmoreAmerica) filly has won four of five starts for trainer George “Rusty” Arnold. @luissaezpty was in the irons. pic.twitter.com/7yBcyxhuDY
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) May 16, 2025
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