Arrogate edges Gun Runner as leading first-year covering sire at Keeneland November

Champions Arrogate and Gun Runner traded blows throughout their racing careers. Arrogate, racing’s leading money winner, ran down Gun Runner for a dramatic victory in the 2017 Dubai World Cup. But that turned out to be the final win of his career, and by the end of the season Gun Runner had turned the tables, winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic to secure the Horse of the Year title.

The two are now cast as commercial rivals in the stallion market, with first foals arriving in 2019, and Arrogate landed the first blow, as he finished as the leading first-year covering sire by average at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Arrogate, who stands for $75,000 at Juddmonte Farm, was represented by seven mares in foal averaging $366,429. Gun Runner, standing for $70,000 at Three Chimneys, also had seven mares in foal sold, averaging $310,000.

The top first-year covering sire by gross was Claiborne Farm resident Mastery, with 27 mares sold for a total of $4.8 million. An unbeaten Grade 1 winner, Mastery is by Candy Ride, also the sire of Gun Runner.

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