Gun Pit targets Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

Gun Pit, second in the Group 1 Round 3 of the Maktoum Challenge in Dubai in March, is a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, according to a statement released this week by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Trainer Caspar Fownes said the BC Dirt Mile became a goal for the 6-year-old Gun Pit after the gelding was removed from consideration for the Korea Cup in Seoul after “he scoped a little bit dirty” this week, the trainer said.

Fownes indicated that Gun Pit would be trained up to the BC Dirt Mile. “It would likely be first up,” he said. “He goes really well fresh, so he should be good.”

An Australian-bred, Gun Pit was last of 12 behind California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup in March. He was fourth in a Group 3 race in Hong Kong in June in his most recent start.