BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Echo Lane took on a determined frontrunning Gerwurztraminer in the stretch before getting the advantage late to defend his title in the $186,886 Claiming Crown Emerald at Churchill Downs Saturday. Trained by Rohan Crichton for Anthony Rogers, Florida-bred Echo Lane defeated 11 other 3-years-old and older who had started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2024-’25.
Run at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf, the Emerald was one of eight Claiming Crown races with starter allowance conditions worth $1.1 million. This is the 27th running of the Claiming Crown, deemed the claiming horse owner’s Breeders’ Cup, and was created from a partnership between the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protection Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Florida-bred Echo Lane – ©Renee Torbit/Coady Media
Gerwurztraminer and jockey Emmanuel Esquivel broke on top from post one and led Grounded by a half-length past the finish line for the first time with rider Luis Saez strategically placing Echo Lane in third on the outside.
Gerwurztraminer was in control on clear lead through a half mile in :48.52 and six furlongs in 1:12.68 when Grounded and Echo Lane came at him around the far turn. Those three turned for home heads apart with Gerwurztraminer on the rail and Echo Lane farthest out with Grounded splitting those two. Gerwurztraminer and Echo Lane emerged from the pack with a furlong to run before Echo Lane surged to the front in the final strides to win by a length in 1:42.49 on the firm turf. Gerwurztramine was resilient second with King Curlin a half-length farther back in third. Nantasket Beach, Goes the Clown, Risk Manager, Stroke of Midnight, Florida-bred Mister Abarrio, Zzoi, Swiss Slang, Grounded and Kalik completed the order of finish. Franz Josef, Protonic Power and Rancho were scratched off the also-eligible list.
Echo Lane paid $6.90 as the 2-1 favorite.
Echo Lane has won two of his last three overall and is three for four at Churchill. In addition to winning last year’s Emerald on Nov. 16, he won a second condition, $80,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass there on June 21. The Emerald was his third win in 2025 having also won a first level, $25,000 optional claiming on the Gulfstream Park grass on Feb. 1.
Crichton claimed Echo Lane for $25,000 out of a maiden claiming third at Gulfstream in December of 2023. He won his next start by three lengths, a $25,000 maiden claiming going a mile-and-sixteenth on the grass at Gulfstream in January of 2024. The 4-year-old colt is stakes-placed, having finished third behind winner Crystal Quest in the $110,000 ESMARK Turf Classic on Florida Cup Day on March 30 at Tampa Bay Downs.
He has now won eight of 25 starts overall with three seconds and six thirds while earning $531,655. Bred in Florida by Echo Lane Of Ocala LLC, Echo Lane is by Treasure Beach (GB) out of Misbehaving Miss, by Mineshaft. Misbehaving Miss has produced six starters, all winners, from eight foals.
Echo Lane joins Royal Posse, Al’s Dearly Bred, Time for Trouble and Antrim County as the only two-time winners of Claiming Crown races.
Return to the November 15 issue of Wire to Wire
