Woody Stephens-bound? Echo Town guts out a Churchill Downs win

In a potential proving ground for Belmont Park’s June 20 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1), Echo Town delivered a gusty, front-running victory Monday at Churchill Downs, where he lasted on a pressured lead in the card's eighth race.

While improving to 3-for-5 overall, the Steve Asmussen-trained son of Speightstown also did one better than in his last appearance, a head-and-head stretch battle with Long Weekend to be second April 25 in Oaklawn Park’s Bachelor Stakes.

Campaigned by L and N Racing, Echo Town found himself pinned on the rail in a four-wide battle through an opening quarter mile in 21.61 seconds. That became a three-wide duel into the turn, with the half mile up in 44.99 before the real running began.

Digital, on the cutback after multiple appearances in stakes routes, wound up his rally on the outside. But under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Echo Town dug in to repel his closest pursuer.

“He got pressured the entire way around there and still finished strong,” Santana said. “That was impressive to still win like that.”

The final time for 3/4 of a mile was 1:09.05 in a race where a cool head prevailed. A threat of lightning within a few miles of the track delayed the race about 30 minutes, during which horses continued to circle in the paddock but Echo Town remained calm.

Should connections aim high — and this group often does — the seven-furlong Woody Stephens carries a $250,000 purse on the rescheduled Belmont Stakes undercard.

Echo Town has already earned more than his $100,000 purchase price as a yearling, winning his Jan. 18 debut at Fair Grounds along with a March 13 allowance at Oaklawn Park that first sent him to stakes company. Monday’s allowance optional claiming sprint for non-winners of three races should send him back.

Behind the 4/5 favorite Echo Town and Digital was stakes winner Meru rounding out the board.