Gun Runner sets record for earnings by a North American freshman sire
Horse of the Year Gun Runner established an earnings record for a North American freshman sire over the weekend as he continued to extend his dominance of this season’s juvenile divisions.
Gun Runner, who stands at Three Chimneys Farm, is represented by first-crop progeny who have earned $3,827,373 through Sunday, according to Daily Racing Form statistics, well clear of his closest competitor on the freshman sire list, Coolmore's Practical Joke, with $1,967,961.
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On Saturday, Gun Runner was represented by nine runners around the country who, although they went winless, pushed him past the previous North American freshman sire earnings record, Coolmore stallion Uncle Mo’s $3,717,490 in 2015. Gun Runner’s top performers on Saturday were Red Run, second in an allowance race at Churchill Downs; Ten Gauge and Runaway Wife, second and third in two maiden special weights at Churchill Downs; and Glen Echo, third in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct.
The following day, Gun Runner extended his margin as Shotgun Hottie became his 22nd winner with a victory in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. His four runners on the day also included Turquesa, who was third in a maiden special weight at Remington.
Gun Runner’s record bankroll not only has him comfortably atop the freshman sire list – he also leads the overall North American 2-year-old sire list. Spendthrift Farm’s Into Mischief, the nation’s two-time reigning leading sire, sits second with $2,523,855.
Beyond the traditional earnings lists, Gun Runner also leads a number of categories on Daily Racing Form’s exclusive stallion metrics the Beyer Sire Performance Standings. He is represented by six runners who have earned Beyer Speed Figures of 80 or higher to lead freshman sires in this regard. Moving further up the scale, he is the only freshman with multiple individuals to record Beyers of 90 or higher, with a category-leading five figures in that regard. Gun Runner’s 11 Beyers of 80 or higher and his five Beyers of 90 or higher put him second to Into Mischief among all juvenile sires in those respective categories.
Gun Runner, by Candy Ride, was campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys through a career in which he won 12 of 19 starts, all for trainer Steve Asmussen, including six Grade 1 events. Four of those came in 2017, including the Breeders' Cup Classic, to secure him the Horse of the Year title.
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Gun Runner is the sire of six stakes winners from his first crop, including Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and likely Eclipse Award champion Echo Zulu; Grade 2 winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Pappacap; and Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Gunite. He is also the sire of Grade 2 winner Wicked Halo and stakes winners Concept and Optionality. With the exception of Pappacap, all of Gun Runner’s stakes winners are trained by Asmussen and are owned, solely or in partnership, by the Winchells.
“Three Chimneys' whole team is grateful to the breeders who continue to support him with great mares, and a special thanks to partner Ron Winchell,” Three Chimneys owner Goncalo Torrealba said in a release. “He has been fantastic. I am grateful for his continued commitment to breed his best mares and race their progeny. Trainer Steve Asmussen has created his legacy through Horse of the Year Gun Runner and his progeny. Thank you, Steve."