Gun Runner strong in work for Haskell

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Gun Runner, third in the Kentucky Derby, signaled his readiness for a rematch with Derby winner Nyquist in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 31 by putting in a strong five-furlong workout Monday at Saratoga.

With regular rider Florent Geroux in the irons, Gun Runner worked in 59.87 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. Gun Runner started a few lengths behind another horse and finished about five in front. He got his last quarter in 23.53 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.87.

“I thought he worked brilliantly,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “He is a great work horse. The Haskell is obviously coming up very worthy of its status this year, with Nyquist and American Freedom, but I love how Gun Runner’s doing, and it’s an opportunity to prove who he is.”

After finishing third in the Derby, Gun Runner won the Matt Winn Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on June 18. His final time of 1:41.12 for 1 1/16 miles was 0.08 seconds off the track record.

“I thought the Matt Winn was a great bridge from a good run in the Derby at his home track where he’s stabled – didn’t ship, six weeks to the Haskell,” Asmussen said. “He ran fast, he looked good doing it.”

Asmussen decided to work Gun Runner over the Oklahoma training track after seeing the large number of workers over the main track early Monday.

One of those workers was the Asmussen-trained Creator, the Belmont Stakes winner, who went five furlongs in 1:01.99 in company with a maiden named Providence. Creator, with Geroux up, started about three-quarters of a length behind Providence, ridden by Abel Flores, and finished a neck in front through a final quarter of 24.74 seconds. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.16.

Creator runs next in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 30.

“He traveled really good over the racetrack,” Asmussen said. “He’s coming into it nicely. The obvious thing is the Jim Dandy is short for him, but I think, as the work today indicated, the Travers is our goal this summer.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for the Belmont Stakes win, has the mount on Creator for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy.

Both Gun Runner and Creator will have routine half-mile breezes next week.

Also working for Asmussen on Monday were Holy Boss and Counterforce, who went a half-mile together in 48.11 seconds over the main track. Holy Boss, who won the Grade 2 Amsterdam here last summer, is pointing to the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt here on July 30. Counterforce, eighth in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens last out, is expected to start next in the Amsterdam here July 30.

Holy Boss, third in the Grade 2 True North in his last start, worked in blinkers and will wear them for the first time in a race in the Vanderbilt.

“Since the True North, we have experimented with blinkers on Holy Boss,” Asmussen said. “Pleased with his work in them, so I expect to start him first blinkers in the Vanderbilt.”

Asmussen will be well represented in the first two juvenile stakes of the meet ,with Made Me Shiver in Friday’s Grade 3 ,$150,000 Schuylerville Stakes and Zartera in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford Stakes. Both of those horses were expected to have easy works Tuesday.