Echo Sound reverberates in Miss Preakness; Play With Fire reaches summit in Hilltop

One day before the Lothenbach-bred Sandman lines up in the Preakness (G1), another product of the late Minnesotan’s operation, Play With Fire, scored a stakes breakthrough in the $125,000 Hilltop S. at Pimlico. Fellow sophomore filly Echo Sound returned triumphant in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), becoming the first graded winner for young sire Echo Town. 

Miss Preakness (G3)

Gabriel Duignan’s Echo Sound had not raced since her runner-up effort in the Nov. 30 Fern Creek S. at Churchill Downs, but trainer Rusty Arnold had her ready to roll off the bench.

The 3.90-1 chance worked out an advantageous trip with Luis Saez, breaking on top but easing back off a contentious pace. Echo Sound may have had a slightly easier task after two high-profile entrants, Long Neck Paula and Vodka with a Twist, were withdrawn.

Hollygrove flashed speed on the rail, hounded by Volleyballprincess through an opening quarter in :22.95. G W’s Girl, also taking up a more prominent role early, moved up into a pressing second by the half in :46.14. Family likewise contributed to the pace map wider out.

Although Hollygrove saw off her early challengers, she could not withstand the surging Echo Sound in the lane. The bay drew off to a two-length decision, clocking 1:11.14 to remain unbeaten at six furlongs.

The 29-1 You’ll Be Back wore down Hollygrove for second by three-quarters of a length. G W’s Girl tired to fourth, a further three lengths adrift. Next came Mila Rose, High Paf, Not Too Late, Stunner, Volleyballprincess, Delray, and Family. 

Echo Sound, who returned $9.80, sports a mark of 5-4-1-0, $363,745. She opened her career with a three-race winning streak at six furlongs – an Ellis Park maiden, Churchill allowance, and the Myrtlewood S. at Keeneland – before settling for second in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek. 

Bred in Kentucky by Duignan’s Springhouse Farm in partnership with Vision TBs, Bruce Pieratt, and Patricia Pieratt, Echo Sound is from the first crop of Echo Town. He was a top sprinter himself as the winner of the 2020 Woody Stephens (G1), but eventually was overshadowed by his champion half-sister, the ill-fated Echo Zulu.

Echo Sound is the third graded performer for the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Eagle Sound, who is also responsible for 2014 Fayette (G2) scorer Pick of the Litter and multiple Grade 2-placed Deer District. This is the further family of Spun to Run, the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) upsetter, and fellow Grade 1 winners Competitive Edge, Awesome Humor, and Emcee.

Hilltop S. 

Like Sandman, Play With Fire was pitched into the OBS March Sale as a two-year-old in training after the passing of Lothenbach, and his family’s decision to disperse his bloodstock. The daughter of Oscar Performance wasn’t a pricey show-stopper like the $1.2 million Sandman, but she looks well bought by Fergus Galvin for just $85,000.

Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Flavien Prat, Play With Fire went off as the 7-2 second choice in a competitive renewal of the Hilltop. The pace scenario didn’t appear to be doing her any favors as she settled at the back. 

The 2.30-1 favorite, Me Governor, got away with slow fractions of :24.34 and :49.43 on the good course, and the tracking White Rocks did not press the issue. Although Me Governor spurted away at the six-furlong mark in 1:14.24, the stretch-out sprinter hit the proverbial wall in the stretch. 

Princess Attitude was the first on the scene to pounce, but she could not hold her advantage. Pretty Lavish rallied between foes, and Play With Fire caught fire on the outside.

Quickening smartly inside the final sixteenth, Play With Fire pulled one length clear of Pretty Lavish. The bay negotiated the grassy mile in 1:39.11.

Pretty Lavish was readily second-best by two lengths from Princess Attitude. Next came Walsh’s other runner, Irish import Sigh No More, who stayed on belatedly in her U.S. debut. Obeissante checked in a one-paced fifth, followed by Me Governor, White Rocks, and Pure Majestic. Complexity Jane was a last-minute vet scratch.

Play With Fire paid $9 while advancing her record to 5-2-0-1, $126,948. Beginning her career at Fair Grounds, she captured her debut on turf and switched to dirt for an allowance, where she wound up fourth. Play With Fire reverted to turf in the March 8 Allen “Black Cat” LaCombe Memorial and placed third. She was most recently fourth in a Keeneland turf allowance.

Unlike Kentucky-bred Sandman, Play With Fire was bred in Minnesota. Her dam, the Street Sense mare Streaming Fire, is a half-sister to Grade 3 scorer City Attraction. This is the further family of Lothenbach’s millionaire Mister Marti Gras, a multiple Grade 3 winner who was effective on all surfaces. 

The Very One S.

The card’s other turf stakes, the $100,000 The Very One S. for turf sprint distaffers, went to a game Bosserati on the front end. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., the Brittany Russell mare fended off the persistent attention of Accomplished Girl by a head. The two duked it out from the start, and Bosserati refused to yield through five furlongs in :59.44.

A Maryland homebred for Joel Politi, the daughter of Holy Boss was earning her third stakes victory after the 2023 Stormy Blues S. and last fall’s Maryland Million Turf Sprint. Bosserati’s resume now reads 19-6-1-4, $331,260.