Eclipse Award champions Arrogate and Gun Runner were rivals on the racetrack, both taking their turn in the spotlight, with Arrogate starting a streak of momentous performances in the summer of their 3-year-old season, and Gun Runner nearly unbeatable from that fall onward – only defeated by Arrogate. The two were later-blooming, distance-loving runners who were both expected to sire classic-type horses. Both will be represented with first-crop fillies in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks – but the two arrived at the classic via different paths. Gun Runner, who was campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys and stands at Three Chimneys, will be represented by unbeaten champion Echo Zulu, who came out firing last year, leading Gun Runner’s record-setting freshman crop. Meanwhile, Juddmonte’s late Arrogate, who died in 2020 after an illness caused neurological symptoms, is represented by Secret Oath, whose pedigree says she will continue to improve. Gun Runner was a winner at 2 and was very good the bulk of his 3-year-old year, winning three graded stakes in the first half of the season, including the Louisiana Derby, and finishing third in the Kentucky Derby. However, he truly blossomed late that season. He won his first Grade 1 in the Clark Handicap in November 2016, and beginning with that race, took seven of his last eight starts – with the only horse able to defeat him Arrogate, with a sublime effort in the 2017 Dubai World Cup. Gun Runner took consecutive Grade 1’s in the Stephen Foster, Whitney, Woodward, Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Pegasus World Cup (his only start at 5) to conclude his career. It was, thus, reasonable to expect Gun Runner’s offspring to improve with seasoning, and that has certainly been the case with some, such as Arkansas Derby winner Cyberknife. However, many came out firing, helping Gun Runner not only set an earnings record for a North American freshman sire, but to finish as the continent’s overall leading 2-year-old sire. Echo Zulu won three Grade 1 events in the Spinaway, Frizette, and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, and was joined in that 2-year-old season by Grade 1 winner Gunite, Grade 2 winners Pappacap and Wicked Halo, and stakes winners Optionality and Concept. “I think everyone had a patient outlook, and thought for sure the late fall and their 3-year-old year they would be bigger and stronger,” Three Chimneys vice chairman Doug Cauthen said of Gun Runner’s offspring. “But you put Gun Runner progeny in Steve Asmussen’s hands, and good things happen.” Indeed, all of those juvenile stakes winners except Pappacap were trained by Asmussen, who also conditioned Gun Runner. But he isn’t the only member of the family to handle these horses. The Winchells have sent their young horses to father Keith Asmussen’s training center in Laredo, Texas, since “Steve was still in high school,” according to Ron Winchell. That includes Echo Zulu, whom Winchell Thoroughbreds owns with L and N Racing. The owners give a large part of the credit for the success of Gun Runner’s juveniles to that early training, as the young horses learn to take things in stride and how to get away from the gate well, making a seamless transition to Steve Asmussen at the racetrack. “It’s always important,” said David Fiske, racing and farm manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds. “The 2-year-olds always come up well schooled, well mannered. They break from the gate like they’re shot out of a cannon. If you leave the gate two lengths in front of everyone else, that’s a big advantage. Their early training was a huge advantage.” Meanwhile, while Echo Zulu was putting together her championship campaign, Secret Oath was more modestly accomplished as a 2-year-old. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, she did not debut until October, and won twice from four starts. The filly blossomed this winter and spring at Oaklawn Park, winning the Martha Washington and Honeybee and finishing third in the Arkansas Derby, all around two turns. This development was no surprise for the Briland Farm homebred, considering both sides of her pedigree. Her dam, Absinthe Minded, also trained by Lukas, broke her maiden at Oaklawn as a 3-year-old, going 1 1/16 miles. She went on to be a graded stakes winner routing. “Her mother was a real consistent, hard-knocking, big filly,” Lukas said. :: Kentucky Derby Headquarters: Get the latest news, info on contenders, past performances, picks, and more  Absinthe Minded is the dam of three other foals. La Fee Verte and Sara Sea did not win until age 3, at a mile and 1 1/8 miles, respectively. Nevermindninetyone is still a maiden at 4. Secret Oath was, relatively speaking, a prodigy to win as a juvenile, especially when her dam was paired with Arrogate, who did not start until April of his 3-year-old year. He burst onto the national scene with four straight Grade 1 wins in brilliant fashion, in the Travers, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Pegasus, and Dubai World Cup. He defeated two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome in the Classic and Pegasus, and a future Horse of the Year in Gun Runner in the Travers and Dubai World Cup. Last year, Arrogate recorded 12 winners on the entire season – compared to 31 for leader Gun Runner – and none of his juveniles won stakes. This year, he already has 14 winners four months into the year. Secret Oath is joined by stakes winner Alittleloveandluck and three other stakes-placed horses as his runners come to hand. “That consistency is now coming and we’re getting that maturity, as far as a professional racehorse,” Lukas said of Secret Oath as she tore through Oaklawn. “She’s been very manageable, but she was a little immature before. But I think it’s coming together now.”