Echo Sound Tops Star-Studded Renewal of the GI Test Stakes

The race will celebrate its centennial this Saturday at Saratoga, as part of an exceptional card

Echo Sound Rides Winning Streak Into Historic Test Stakes / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- A new gem joins the dazzling string of top-level races on tap for Saturday at Saratoga, where, in addition to the GI Whitney, GI Fourstardave and GI Saratoga Derby, the stage will be set for the 100th running of the GI Test S., a storied sprint for 3-year-old fillies offering a $500,000 purse over seven furlongs on the main track.

Headlining the field is Echo Sound (Echo Town), homebred for Gabriel Duignan and trained by Rusty Arnold, who enters riding a wave of momentum off back-to-back graded wins in the GIII Miss Preakness S. at Pimlico and the GIII Victory Ride S. at Saratoga. Dominant in the latter, she drew off with ease to post a gaudy 101 Beyer, the highest in the field. Never off the board in her career, Echo Sound will once again be partnered with Luis Saez from post 6.

Arnold also sends out Kilwin (Twirling Candy), who dazzled on her dirt debut with a stakes win in the Leslie's Lady S.at Churchill Downs. Previously a stakes winner on turf, including a score in the lucrative Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs, the versatile filly is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner One Timer (Trappe Shot) and will have Jose Ortiz in the irons.

Bill Mott, looking for his first Test victory since 2000, will saddle two promising contenders: Beauty Reigns (Into Mischief), runner-up to Echo Sound in the Victory Ride, and unbeaten Ragtime (Union Rags), who turned heads with a pair of eye-catching wins earlier in the meet, including a dominant performance against older fillies and mares on July 5. Irad Ortiz Jr. and Junior Alvarado have the respective calls.

West Coast invader Cash Call (McKinzie) enters off a trio of victories, most recently stretching out to win the GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita. Trained by Bob Baffert and to be ridden by Flavien Prat, she looms a major threat if able to handle the cutback in trip.

Also in the mix is Look Forward (Bolt d'Oro), who was runner-up to La Cara (Street Sense) in the GI Acorn S., finishing ahead of Scottish Lassie (McKinzie), who returned to dominate the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. Owned by Reddam Racing, Look Forward has already proven her class with a win in the GII Eight Belles S., and returns to her preferred distance here.

Rounding out the field are the promising Artisma (Munnings) and Me and Molly McGee (Vekoma). The centennial edition of the Test S. shapes up as a showdown to remember.