Runninsonofagun gets put up after getting bumped in Bold Ruler

Two years after winning the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Stakes by a nose, Runninsonofagun appeared to lose the Grade 3 Bold Ruler by a nose Saturday at Aqueduct. But after a lengthy review by the stewards, Runninsonofagun was declared the winner of the $175,000 Bold Ruler when My Buddy B was disqualified for interference.

My Buddy B, under Luis Rivera Jr., took the lead from Top Gunner at the quarter pole. In the stretch, with Runninsonofagun, under Joel Rosario, coming on the outside, Rivera hit My Buddy B left-handed and pointed his horse toward the outside and My Buddy B came out about three paths. He brushed with Runninsonofagun, who appeared to have his hind end go outward for a stride. Rosario got Runninsonofagun straightened out immediately and he fell a nose shy at the wire.

The stewards – Braulio Baeza Jr., Juliet Kagno, and Victor Escobar – immediately lit the inquiry sign. After several minutes, it was announced there was a change to the order of finish with the stewards flipping the first- and second-place finishes.

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In the stewards’ write-up of their decision, they concluded that My Buddy B “angled out, making contact with Runninsonofagun, knocking him off stride. Runninsonofagun recovered from the incident and finished second behind My Buddy B by a nose margin. The stewards are satisfied that the incident cost Runninsonofagun the opportunity at a better placing.”

Runninsonofagun (97 Beyer Speed Figure), a 5-year-old gelding by Gun Runner, returned $34 to win. The final time of the Bold Ruler was 1:09.42.

It was 5 1/4 lengths back to Twenty Four Mamba in third. Little Vic finished fourth followed by Top Gunner, Surveillance, and Scotland, the 6-5 favorite.

Rosario, who did not lodge an objection, said when the two horses brushed in the stretch, Runninsonofagun “lost a little balance but we got beat by a nose.”

Rivera said in bringing his horse out to make him see Runninsonofagun “I was trying to get another reaction from my horse,” he told the NYRA publicity office. “That’s all, though.”

My Buddy B is owned and trained by Krista Hetrick, who said of the disqualification "the circumstances are unfortunate but I'm really proud of Buddy for showing up and running his race."

Runninsonofagun, who had runner-up finishes in the Fall Highweight in 2022 and the Tom Fool in 2023, was away from the races for a year due to an injury. He was winless in five starts since returning but finish a decent third in an allowance race on Sept. 19.

“His first couple of starts he was a little flat,” trainer John Toscano Jr. told NYRA publicity. “But he progressed and got better and better. Hopefully, he’s now back where he was.”

Toscano claimed Runninsonofagun for $40,000 for owner Karen Zimmerman out of a winning effort on Dec. 31, 2021. Since then, he has won four of 18 starts and earned $529,215.

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