Third early under Tyler Gaffalione, Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Gunite easily made the lead coming off the home turn and kicked clear to win the $250,000 Perryville for 3-year-olds Saturday at Keeneland.
Gunite strode across the finish line 3 ¾ lengths to the good of 25-1 Hoist the Gold, the runner-up, while B Dawk rallied from last of seven to take third, another three lengths back.
Time for seven furlongs was 1:23.21 on a fast track. The favorite, Gunite returned $3.24 and could return in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in two weeks time depending on how he comes out of the Perryville.
Provocateur and Of a Revolution vied for the early lead through fractions of :22.38 and :45.82 for a half mile. Gunite, chasing from third, was winding up his rally approaching the five-sixteenths pole, then swept past nearing the stretch to cement the victory.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Gunite has compiled a 4-2-0 record from six starts this year and entered off a victory in the Harrods Creek at Churchill Downs on Sept. 24. His biggest victory of 2022 came in the Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga in July.
Chad Brown-trained Artorius, cutting back to sprinting following a sixth-place finish in the Runhappy Travers (G1) at Saratoga, was never a threat in a fourth-place finish.
Overall, Gunite has a 6-4-1 record from 12 starts and $965,934 in earnings.
A Kentucky-bred son of Gun Runner, Gunite's dam is the Cowboy Cal mare Simple Surprise.
Perryville (L) Quotes
Steve Asmussen (winning trainer of Gunite): “(He has shown) beautiful consistency. He has performed at the highest levels and continues to impress. (As Keeneland Racing Analyst Scott Hazelton said in the Paddock), he carries himself like he can do this. He's got a confidence. He accepts what's happening and does it extremely well.
This was the first test (regarding whether to go to the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint [G1] in 14 days): How he handles Keeneland. I thought he ran really well. He was very comfortable and looked great over the racetrack. Now it will all be about how he comes back. But we have until Monday (pre-entry deadline) to decide.”
Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider): “It was very easy for him. He's a very talented colt. I'm just so blessed to be able to ride him. I can't thank (trainer) Steve (Asmussen) and (owner) Mr. (Ron) Winchell (of Winchell Thoroughbreds) enough for this opportunity. He's a very special horse. I had a great post, so I just helped him get out there, get him underneath himself, and he does the rest.”
Brian Hernandez Jr. (rider of runner-up Hoist the Gold): “We had a great trip from the one hole. We were able to work out a good inside trip. Turning for home, we were right behind the eventual winner. He was just a little bit better than us today.”
Joel Rosario (rider of third-place finisher B Dawk): “He took his time to get out (of the gate) and get into the race in the beginning, but he made a nice move going into the turn. He did his best. He tried really hard. The two horses in front of him were better today.”
The post ‘It Will All Be About How He Comes Back’: Gunite Powers To Perryville Victory, Possible For Breeders’ Cup Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
