Month: May 2022

Preakness, Black-Eyed Susan Grooms Recognized By TAA Best Turned Out Awards

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) hosted the Best Turned Out Awards in partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club during both Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Stakes Day. Beyond the Wire sponsored the groom cash prize during the Friday May 20, 2022 Black-Eyed Susan Day card, and Fidelity First sponsored the awards during the Saturday May 21, 2022 Preakness Stakes Day card.

A cash prize and TAA gift bag were given to the winning groom of the Best Turned Out for the twelve races on the card.

Representatives from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Maryland Jockey Club, Fidelity First, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and TAA VIP guests selected the horse in each race that was deemed to be the best presented, and that horse's groom received a gift bag and cash prize. The TAA and Maryland Jockey Club promoted the winners on their social media platforms, the winning groom was congratulated on the live simulcast feed, and a congratulatory ad will run in both the Thoroughbred Daily News and BloodHorse Daily on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 24-25, 2022.

“Hosting the Best Turned Out awards at the Preakness is always a highlight for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” said TAA Operations Consultant, Stacie Clark Rogers.

“Honoring the grooms who work day in and day out caring for our Thoroughbreds is a privilege and we're grateful for the Maryland Jockey Club for continuing this momentous tradition during the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Thank you to Beyond the Wire and Fidelity First for their generous prize money donations for this year's awards.”

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance was a charity partner for the 147th Preakness Stakes.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Best Turned Out award recipients:

Black-Eyed Susan Day

RACE 1

#1 KOBE TOUGH

Groom: Ramon Garcia

Trainer: Timothy Keefe

RACE 2

#2 SAINT EROS GIRL

Groom: Alex Garcaro

Trainer: Ron Moquett

RACE 3 — Presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

#10 NEVER EXPLAIN

Groom: Benjamin Maldonado

Trainer: Claude McGaughey III

RACE 4

#5 GALLANT GOLD

Groom: Caesar Cruz

Trainer: John Salzman, Sr.

RACE 5

#5 LOVE YOU MUCH

Groom: Raul Ivina

Trainer: A. Ferris Allen, III

RACE 6

#9 SHINELIKEADIAMOND

Groom: Phillipe Cortez

Trainer: Timothy Keefe

RACE 7

#16 B DETERMINED

Groom: Hazel & Mazie O'Neil

Trainer: Suzanne Stettinius

RACE 8 — Allaire Dupont Distaff Stakes (G3)

#3 CLICK TO CONFIRM

Groom: Juan Barajas

Trainer: Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon

RACE 9 — Hilltop Stakes

#5 DETERMINED STAR

Groom: Alvaro Barajas

Trainer: Phil Schoenthal

RACE 10 — Miss Preakness Stakes (G3)

#1 VERYLITTLECENTS

Groom: Eligio Perez

Trainer: Randy Morse

RACE 11 — The Very One Stakes

#11 SPUN GLASS

Groom: Saul Ramirez

Trainer: Michael Trombetta

RACE 12 — Pimlico Special Stakes (G3)

#11 MOHAAFETH

Groom: Victor Manuel Barajas

Trainer: Elvis Trujillo

RACE 13 — George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2)

#4 MIDNIGHT STROLL

Groom: William Rodriguez

Trainer: John Terranova II

RACE 14

#4 BLAME B B

Groom: Francisco Magdaleno

Trainer: Anthony Aguirre, Jr.

Preakness Stakes Day

RACE 1

#6 ABUELO PAPS

Groom: Howard ThrockMartin

Trainer: Marco Salazar

RACE 2

#1A BENANDJOE

Groom: Jose Magdaleno

Trainer: Hugh McMahon

RACE 3

#10 SPIRITUAL GHOST

Groom: Rafael Magdaleno

Trainer: Rick Buckley

RACE 4 — Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3)

#2 SIR ALFRED JAMES

Groom: Roberto Sanchez

Trainer: Norman Cash

RACE 5 — Gallorette Stakes (G3)

#4 TECHNICAL ANALYSIS (IRE)

Groom: Alvaro Garerro

Trainer: Chad Brown

RACE 6

#9 VOLADOR

Groom: Victor Estrella

Trainer: Hugh McMahon

RACE 7 — Skipat Stakes

#3 CINNABUNNY

Groom: Alex Mata

Trainer: Cathal Lynch

RACE 8 — Dinner Party Stakes (G2)

#4 BEACON HILL

Groom: Pedro Estrada

Trainer: Michael Matz

RACE 9 — Chick Lang Stakes (G3)

#3 DOCTOR JEFF

Groom: Enrique Sanchez

Trainer: Rudy Rodriguez

RACE 10 — James W. Murphy Stakes

#2 LOCAL MOTIVE

Groom: Javier Cruz

Trainer: John Salzman, Jr.

RACE 11 — Sir Barton Stakes Sponsored by Brandon & Diannah Perry to Benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

#1 ETHEREAL ROAD

Groom: Rosa Jimenez

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

RACE 12 — Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes

#6 SMOKIN' JAY

Groom: Sadie Jenkins

Trainer: Kelsey Danner

RACE 13 — Preakness Stakes (G1)

#4 SECRET OATH

Groom: Arturo Topete

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

RACE 14 — UAE President Cup Stakes (G1)

#2 PROUD AMERICAN

Groom: Hector Castellanos

Trainer: Nicole Ruggeri

The post Preakness, Black-Eyed Susan Grooms Recognized By TAA Best Turned Out Awards appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Weekly Rulings: May 17 – 23

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.
Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

CALIFORNIA
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/20/2022
Licensee: Abel Cedillo, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Abel Cedillo is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times) during the fifth race at Santa Anita Park on May 15, 2022.
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/20/2022
Licensee: Rob Henie, owner
Penalty: Restoration of standing
Violation: N/A
Explainer: Owner Robert Henie, Jr. (dba Palm West Stable), having complied with the provisions of California Horse Racing Board rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility – $6,000 to trainer Monty Meier) is restored to good standing. LAFP #004 ruling issued at Los Angeles County Fair on September 8, 2008, is set aside.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/20/2022
Licensee: Tyler Baze, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Tyler Baze is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times) during the fifth race at Santa Anita Park on May 15, 2022.
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/21/2022
Licensee: Librado Barocio, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine, ½ point assessment on license
Violation: Medication violation (horse working for removal from vet's list)
Explainer: Trainer Librado Barocio, who worked the horse Super Chief for removal from the Veterinarian's List at Santa Anita Park on March 31, 2022, is fined $500.00 and assessed one half (1/2) point in accordance with California Horse Racing Rule #1843.4 (Multiple Medication Violations – Expires 5/21/23) pursuant to California Horse Racing Board Rule #1887(a) (Trainer or Owner to Insure Condition of Horse) and Rule #1866(h) (Veterinarians List) for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1588(a)(15) (Horse Ineligible to Start in a Race), Rule #1843(a)(b)(d) (Medication, Drugs and Other Substances) and Rule #1843.1(a) (Prohibited Drug Substances – Phenylbutazone [Class 4] – First Offense in 365 days).

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/21/2022
Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Diego Herrera is suspended for 3 racing days (May 28, 29 and 30, 2022) for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times – fourth offense in the last sixty (60) days) during the sixth race at Santa Anita Park on May 20, 2022.
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/22/2022
Licensee: Kyle Frey, jockey
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Kyle Frey is fined $500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times) during the fourth race at Santa Anita Park on May 21, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/22/2022
Licensee: Victor Espinoza, jockey
Penalty: $750 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Victor Espinoza is fined $750.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times – second offense in the last 60 days) during the ninth race at Santa Anita Park on May 21, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 05/22/2022
Licensee: Diego Herrera, jockey
Penalty: $1,500 fine and three-day suspension
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Jockey Diego Herrera is suspended for 3 racing days (June 3, 4 and 5, 2022) and fined $1,500.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1688(b)(8)(d) (Use of Riding Crop – more than six times – fifth offense in the last sixty [60] days) during the sixth race at Santa Anita Park on May 21, 2022.

NEW YORK
Track: Belmont Park
Date: 05/19/2022
Licensee: Richard Gazer, clocker
Penalty: $2,500 fine and 30-day suspension (stayed pending appeal)
Violation: Altering published work
Explainer: Mr. Richard Gazer (Clocker) is hereby suspended 30 Calandar days and fined the sum of $2,500 dollars, for altering a published work of a horse to make the horse eligible to race. Having appealed a stay has been granted.

Read more about the issue here.
Track: Belmont Park
Date: 05/20/2022
Licensee: Ray Handal, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Failure to report shockwave treatment
Explainer: Mr. Raymond Handal has been fined the sum of $500.00 dollars for failing to report a shockwave treatment. Note that the above data is current as of 1:02 PM EDT, Tuesday, May 24, 2022, and subject to change as more information becomes available.

The post Weekly Rulings: May 17 – 23 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

U.S. Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Restructured To Promote Regional Rivalries

Breeders' Cup Limited today announced the 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In schedule of 82 races in 11 countries, whose winners will receive automatic qualifying positions, and fees paid, into a corresponding race in the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Horses from around the globe will be qualifying through the Win and You're In program for the 39th Breeders' Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 Grade 1 races and purses and awards totaling $31 million. This year's Championships will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 4-5. The first U.S. Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race of the year will be the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park on May 30.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, now in its 15th year, will be hosted at many of the world's premier racetracks in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa, and the United States.

The 2022 series in the U.S. has been restructured into a regional qualifying program to balance divisional competition across the country. In 11 of the 14 race divisions, there will be one Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race per region, identified as East, Midwest, and West. Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying races in the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf Divisions will be limited to two races. Breeders' Cup will promote these regional rivalries on the road to the World Championships.

The exception to the regional format will be in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Division, which will have six domestic races in this year's series. The complete 2022 schedule is available here.

“We're excited to introduce our restructured regional format for the year's domestic Challenge Series to better identify our top qualifiers from each part of the country as they move on to the World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “The Win and You're In format has been in place since 2007 and provides a fast track to the World Championships through an automatic selection into the race and free entry fees. We look forward to working again with our racetrack partners in conducting the Challenge Series races around the world this year.”

Last year, 40 Breeders' Cup Challenge winners competed in the World Championships at Del Mar, including five Championship race winners: Knicks Go, $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1); Yibir (GB), $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1); Ce Ce, $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (G1); Echo Zulu, $2 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Corniche, $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).

As part of the benefits to horsemen, Breeders' Cup has allocated $5,180,000 in free entry fees for this year's Challenge Series. Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees and guarantee a starting position in a corresponding Championships race for all Challenge Series race winners. If not already Breeders' Cup nominated, the Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.

In addition, Breeders' Cup will provide a $10,000 travel allowance for all starters within North America that are stabled outside of Kentucky and a $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of all Championship starters from outside of North America.

Next Monday's Shoemaker Mile winner will gain a free starting position in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and will be designated as the Breeders' Cup Challenge Western representative in the World Championships. The Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga (East) on Aug. 13, and the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland (Midwest) on Oct. 8, are the other two automatic qualifiers in the Mile Division.

In support of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), which was signed into law in the U.S. in 2020, medications will not be permitted to be administered within 24 hours for all Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races.

Some of the highlights of this year's Challenge Series are as follows:

  • NBC and CNBC will televise the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing,” featuring nine live programs in the U.S. this summer and fall. The full 2022 television schedule will be announced on Wednesday, May 25.
  • There will be eight automatic berths awarded for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The 4-year-old Cafe Pharoah became the first horse to qualify for this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan on Feb. 20. The next automatic qualifier in the division will be the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on July 2. The Stephen Foster will be followed by the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 23 and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 6. The Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York in England on Aug. 17 will be the only European Win and You're In for the Classic. There will be two Classic Division automatic qualifying races on Sept. 3 when Saratoga hosts The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), and Del Mar will be the site of the TVG Pacific Classic (G1). The Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 1 will be the final Classic Win and You're In this year.  
  • Automatic qualifying positions in the U.S. for the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) will be held on three consecutive weekends, beginning in the East with the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 27, continuing in the West with the Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2) at Del Mar on Sept. 3, and concluding in the Midwest with the Calumet Turf Cup (G2) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10.
  • In the U.S., the three “Win and You're In” races for the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) will begin in the East starting with the Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 11 as part of the Belmont Stakes (G1) day program at Belmont Park. The Ogden Phipps will be followed by the West automatic qualifier, the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on Aug 6. The Midwest Distaff division Win and You're In will be the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 9. 
  • The three domestic races in the Filly & Mare Turf Division begin with the return of the Beverly D. Stakes (G1), which will be run this year at Churchill Downs on Aug. 13 as the Midwest automatic qualifier into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The Beverly D. will be followed by the Flower Bowl (G2) at Saratoga, representing the East, on Sept. 3, and then the West automatic qualifier, the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, on Oct. 8.
  • The three automatic berths into the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) will be decided in October. In the East, the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1 leads the trio. The two other Juvenile Division races will both be held on Oct. 8. Keeneland will host the Midwest Win and You're In, the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), and in the West, Santa Anita will be the site for the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). 

Complementing the season in North America, there will be 39 international Breeders' Cup Challenge races. The international portion of the series began on Dec. 11 when the 7-year-old Village King (ARG) captured the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini (G1) at Hipodromo de San Isidro in Argentina to gain the first automatic starting berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. On Jan. 8 at Kenilworth Racecourse in South Africa, two horses gained Win and You're In berths. The 4-year-old Jet Dark (SAF) won the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (G1) for a free spot in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, and the 4-year-old filly Captain's Ransom (SAF) earned an automatic qualifying position into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf by winning the Cartier Paddock Stakes (G1).  On May 1, La Validada (ARG) earned an invitation to the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff by winning the Gran Premio Criadores (G1) at Hipodromo Palermo in Argentina, and on May 15, Sodashi (JPN) won the Victoria Mile (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse and earned a Win and You're In position for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. 

The post U.S. Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Restructured To Promote Regional Rivalries appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Taking Stock: Gun Runner in Heady Company

Two weeks ago, when I wrote the column “First Crops Yield Derby and Oaks Winners,” I'd expected to write about Taiba (Gun Runner) and Secret Oath (Arrogate), the two I'd liked the most in the Gl Kentucky Derby and Gl Kentucky Oaks, respectively. I'd spoken mainly about those two on Steve Byk's popular SiriusXM program “At the Races,” and my feeling was that Gun Runner in particular was on a trajectory to get a first-crop Classic winner. His start at stud had been exceptional with his first juveniles, and the momentum was carrying forward with his 3-year-olds, headed by Taiba, who'd won the Gl Santa Anita Derby in only his second start; Cyberknife, who'd accounted for the Gl Arkansas Derby from a field that included Secret Oath; and Early Voting, who'd lost the Gll Wood Memorial in a photo to Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in only his third start. Instead, my column was about Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and Secret Oath.

Last week, Byk asked for my opinion on the Gl Preakness. My choices, I told him, were Early Voting (Gun Runner) and Secret Oath. There were plenty of reasons and handicapping angles for which to like Early Voting, entering the Preakness on a similar path traveled by his connections' 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing, a first-crop Classic winner for Maclean's Music. But my primary reason for picking Early Voting, like Taiba in the Derby, was all about Gun Runner. “I just think, Steve, that Gun Runner is such a good stallion, and he's going to get a first-crop Classic winner,” I'd said.

Early Voting defeated race favorite Epicenter (Not This Time) to land the Classic, his first top-level win.

After the race, Steve Asmussen, who trains Preakness and Derby runner-up Epicenter and conditioned Gun Runner, told the Pimlico media team: “The silver lining on that is Gun Runner is probably the greatest sire of all time. He's incredible.”

That's hyperbole, of course, but Gun Runner is certainly on a special trajectory, and who knows? Before Early Voting, Gun Runner had already sired four Grade l winners from his first crop, and now he has an astonishing five, with plenty of racing yet to come for his 3-year-olds, who could become even better at four and five, as he did. Gun Runner didn't win his first top-level race until late in his 3-year-old season, and at four he was outstanding, winning four Grade l events. At five, he won the Gl Pegasus World Cup in January before entering stud at Three Chimneys, which campaigned the horse with Winchell Thoroughbreds, the owner of Epicenter.

Could Gun Runner end up with six or seven Grade l winners from his first crop? It's a jaw-dropping possibility, but having five already is heady enough. With the massive books stallions cover these days, it's unfair to compare horses from different eras purely by first-crop Grade I winners, but suffice to say Gun Runner has sired more of them than any other active sire in North America, which includes such outstanding stallions as Into Mischief, Tapit, War Front, Curlin, Uncle Mo, Quality Road, Speightstown, Medaglia d'Oro, and his own sire, Candy Ride (Arg), who got four in his first crop.

In a different era, Gainesway's Blushing Groom (Fr), a foal of 1974, sired five first-crop Grade/Group 1 winners, and in Europe, the iconic Sadler's Wells, a foal of 1981, got six. More recently, Sadler's Wells's son Montjeu (Ire), a foal of 1996, got five Northern Hemisphere-bred Group 1 winners from his first crop, and Frankel (GB), who was born in 2008 and is by Sadler's Wells's greatest sire son, Galileo (Ire), got six. This isn't necessarily a comprehensive list, but it paints the picture of the company that Gun Runner is rubbing shoulders with as his stud career unfolds, and it's safe to say he's sired his first five Grade l winners quicker than any of them. All of these named here with five or more also sired a first-crop Classic winner.

Sire Line
Most stallions tend to have their best results in their first crops. Three Chimneys is certainly aware of this, having stood Slew o' Gold, who got four Grade l winners in his first crop and nothing thereafter approaching that level of success. Exceptional stallions, however, will gut it out with their second, third, and fourth crops and rebound as they get better mares again.

Likewise, exceptional sires will sometimes appear from unlikely branches of major stallions. This was the case with California-bred Tiznow, the broodmare sire of Early Voting. Tiznow was sired by the stakes-placed California stallion Cee's Tizzy, a son of the In Reality horse Relaunch.

More recently, Uncle Mo is such an example. His California-bred sire Indian Charlie was by California-based In Excess (Ire), a son of the Caro (Ire) stallion Siberian Express.

Both Caro and In Reality were outstanding sires who had a number of top sons at stud, but the existence of their lines in North America now runs through obscure branches that resuscitated them after the bigger names failed to carry on the lines. The same paradigm is true for Gun Runner, who traces to Fappiano through the sequence Candy Ride/Ride the Rails/Cryptoclearance/Fappiano.

Fappiano is mainly represented in North America through Unbridled's sire sons Empire Maker and Unbridled's Song, both of whom are now dead. Empire Maker's son Pioneerof the Nile, also dead, is the sire of American Pharoah, while Unbridled's Song's son Arrogate, also dead, is the sire of Secret Oath. Candy Ride, who entered stud for only $10,000, improbably brought his branch of Fappiano to the fore to compete with the established lines of Fappiano, and now his son Gun Runner is blowing it up to a level that may surpass the tail-male influences of Empire Maker and Unbridled's Song. And Gun Runner isn't the only one; Candy Ride is also the sire of the excellent Twirling Candy–responsible for last year's Preakness winner Rombauer– plus a bunch of other young stallions with runners on the way.

Here's something else that makes this story even more interesting: Bred by Haras Abolengo, Candy Ride, who isn't a particularly eye-catching or sizable individual, had several veterinary issues and twice failed examinations before selling to Gumercindo Alonzo for the equivalent of $12,000 as a yearling. Nonetheless, he was an exceptional if brittle racehorse, undefeated in three starts in Argentina and three starts in North America.

At stud, Candy Ride had a great affinity for mares with Storm Cat in their pedigrees, and Gun Runner, who's from a Giant's Causeway mare, is one such example.

This same affinity for Storm Cat is evident in Gun Runner's early success as well. Early Voting's second dam is by Storm Cat, who's also in the pedigrees of two other Grade l winners by the stallion. In fact, five of Gun Runner's Graded winners have Storm Cat in their pedigrees, and altogether six of his 11 black-type winners do.

After Gun Runner was first retired to Three Chimneys, I had the opportunity to inspect him and was struck by how balanced he was, so much so that he didn't appear to the eye to be as tall as the 16.2 hands he is. At the time, he was five and had furnished significantly from his days as a somewhat immature-looking 3-year-old, but nonetheless he carried some refinement to him that seemed as if it would complement more muscular physiques, like the ones provided by Storm Cat. It made sense then, and judging by results, it makes sense now.

Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks.

The post Taking Stock: Gun Runner in Heady Company appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights