Gunite dominates Perryville Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Gunite proved his remarkable adeptness at seven furlongs – again – with a dominating 3 3/4-length victory Saturday in the $250,000 Perryville Stakes at Keeneland.

Now comes the question of whether the connections of the 3-year-old colt want to run him back in two weeks at Keeneland in one of two Breeders’ Cup events that wouldn’t seem to suit him quite as well, at least in terms of distance.

“This was really nice, and we’ll enjoy it,” David Fiske, racing manager for owner-breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, said minutes afterward. “As for the Breeders’ Cup, we’ll consider it. Maybe the Dirt Mile? We’ll just have to see.”

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup are due Monday, and Gunite might be named by trainer Steve Asmussen for both the Sprint at six furlongs and the Dirt Mile, which is run around two turns at one mile. Either way, Gunite would be a much longer price than what he was in winning the Perryville as the 3-5 favorite.

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Always in a prime stalking spot after breaking from the outside post with Tyler Gaffalione up, Gunite registered his fifth stakes victory from 12 overall starts after passing a pair of front-runners near the quarter-pole and clearing off effortlessly to finish in 1:23.21 over a fast track. He paid $3.24.

“I had a great post,” Gaffalione said, “so I just helped him get out there, get him underneath himself, and he does the rest.”

Hoist the Gold, a 25-1 shot, rallied from mid-pack in a field of seven 3-year-olds to be second, another three lengths before B Dawk. Artorius, the 7-2 second choice, was never a threat when fourth, while Friar Laurence, Of a Revolution, and Provocateur completed the order. Pinehurst was a late scratch at the starting gate.

Gunite, from the first crop of the red-hot sire Gun Runner – the 2017 Horse of the Year trained by Asmussen for Winchell – now has four wins and two seconds from six starts at seven furlongs, including a triumph in the Grade 1 Hopeful in September 2021 in what remains his most notable feat.

“Beautiful consistency,” Asmussen said. “Now it will all be about how he comes back. We have until Monday to decide.”

The $2 exacta (8-1) paid $32.20, the $1 trifecta (8-1-6) returned $73.64, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-1-6-3) was worth $19.57.

‘Plate’ with a fond farewell

Two races earlier, Pass the Plate ($15.26) split horses in deep stretch to prevail in a four-way skirmish in a $139,425 allowance going 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf.

Ridden by Joe Talamo for trainer Paul McGee, the 5-year-old mare might well have been making her final start, as she will be sold by owner-breeder Silverton Hill Farm in Book 1 at the Keeneland November Sales that start Nov. 7. The daughter of Temple City is a two-time stakes winner who has earned $553,919 from 25 starts.

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