Gun Runner gearing up for Stephen Foster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gun Runner continues to sharpen for his role as the expected heavy favorite in the June 17 Stephen Foster Handicap. With Steve Asmussen in from Texas, where he saddled Neck ‘n Neck for the Lone Star Park Handicap the previous evening, Gun Runner was out for a five-furlong team work early Monday, going in 59.80 seconds over a fast track, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.

Spotting a couple of lengths to stablemate Tapsolute, a 3-year-old maiden, Gun Runner and jockey Florent Geroux eventually cruised past, galloping out in swift splits of 1:12 and 1:25.20.

“He’s such an amazing horse,” Asmussen said.

It was the fourth and most serious work for Gun Runner since he returned here from his runner-up finish behind Arrogate in the March 25 Dubai World Cup. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, the 4-year-old colt has earned more than $4.3 million from 14 career starts.

Gun Runner likely will breeze twice more before the Grade 1, $500,000 Foster, a 1 1/8-mile race that is expected to attract Bird Song, Honorable Duty, and a few more older horses.

◗ Ntestinalfortitude earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure with a flashy maiden win here Friday in just his second career start, but trainer Dale Romans said the 4-year-old colt won’t be stakes-bound anytime soon.

“Maybe if he was 3, I’d be a little more daring, but we’re not in any hurry with him,” Romans said.

◗ At age 56, Jon Court doesn’t attract the mounts he once did, but the cagey veteran maximized his opportunities Saturday with narrow upsets on She Mabee Wild ($24.40) and Pinch Hit ($40.40).

“I showed I can still run with ‘em a little bit,” Court, a winner of more than 4,000 races, said Sunday with his familiar grin.

◗ Owner Mike Bruder and trainer Mike Tomlinson enjoyed a memorable Sunday when teaming to win two allowance races with Lookin for a Kiss ($31) and Put Da Blame On Me ($12.60). Bruder, a retired Evansville, Ind., businessman, is a longtime owner and horsemen’s representative who moved his horses to Tomlinson a little more than a year ago.

◗ McCraken, being pointed to the Grade 3 Matt Winn on the Foster undercard, had his second breeze since his eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby when going five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Monday at Churchill. Trainer Ian Wilkes said the hind-ankle puncture wound sustained by the colt in the Derby is no longer of serious consequence.

◗ Jockey Joe Rocco Jr. has been held blameless for his role in the disqualification of his mount, Maryblueeyes, from second to sixth in the third race here Friday. A faulty placement of the temporary inner turf rail caused the filly to suddenly veer out, leading her to impede pursuing horses.

◗ Limousine Liberal, the winner of the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on the May 6 Kentucky Derby card, figures as a heavy favorite in the highlight of the coming weekend at Churchill, the Grade 3, $100,000 Aristides on Saturday. Entries were to be drawn Wednesday.