Gun Runner Makes Statement With 1-2 Oaks Finish

He is one of the "Big Three" that has reigned over the commercial marketplace in recent years. Yet, for all that Hall of Famer Gun Runner has achieved in a stud career dotted with markers only the most influential of his kind boast, the Three Chimneys Farm stallion has found his name trailing behind that of seven-time leading sire Into Mischief and the phenom that is Not This Time in recent discussions of who the most dominant force is on the general sire list. The reason the son of Candy Ride (ARG) became the all-timer he is, however, is because he was relentless in showcasing his class in some of the most demanding tests in the sport. Hence, when the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1)—the hallmark race for 3-year-old fillies—reached its conclusion the night of May 1, the same tenacity that was Gun Runner's hallmark came barreling down the Churchill Downs stretch to remind the industry there are more than two horses with a say in this year's leading sire race. Lest anyone needed a reminder how apt Gun Runner is at shining under the glare of the spotlight, the chestnut stallion delivered a massive flex Friday evening as he sired the 1-2 finishers in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with his brilliant victorious daughter Always a Runner besting his other daughter Meaning by 1 1/4 lengths. In becoming her sire's first Oaks heroine, Always a Runner added her name to a stretch-long list of top-level runners produced by Three Chimney's flagship sire, joining the likes of champions Sierra Leone, Super Corredora, Echo Zulu, and 2022 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Early Voting. While Gun Runner shares the honor of being North America's highest-priced stallion at an advertised fee of $250,000 along with Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief and Taylor Made Stallions' Not This Time, his two comrades have separated themselves from the pack this season regarding progeny earnings and graded stakes winners. Gun Runner rarely let rivals pull away from him on the track, however. And in the wake of his Oaks double, along with leading Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Further Ado set to start Saturday, he isn't conceding his latest hotly contested battle for supremacy. "Into Mischief is the king until we knock him off the hill. But Gun Runner has been amazing and he's got more to come," said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman of Three Chimneys Farm, which campaigned Gun Runner in partnership with Winchell Thoroughbreds and co-owns Always a Runner with Douglas Scharbauer. "For this filly to do this is a testament to that and the fact the second filly is a Gun Runner. Before the race, somebody said, 'We need to run 1-2 with Gun Runners' and I said, 'As long as it's the right order.' "The quality of the mares has always been good, but it keeps getting better and he keeps throwing better and better horses. He's a godsend and a blessing for everybody involved. We're very grateful. He's really emerging as the man." Trainer Chad Brown knows firsthand the level of quality Gun Runner's best offspring boast having trained Sierra Leone to his championship career and Early Voting to his classic triumph. In Always a Runner, the five-time Eclipse Award winner has a protege with an uncommon level of aptitude, as illness had limited the filly to just two starts heading into her Oaks run. The way she moved, the way she learned her lessons, and the way Always a Runner rallied when called upon by jockey Jose Ortiz Friday night was just what Brown had come to expect from her bloodlines. "As far as Gun Runner goes, he's obviously one of the best stallions in the world," said Brown, who celebrated his first career Oaks victory. "I've had plenty of them, fortunately, in my care, and I'd say that class and athleticism in his horses, they come in all shapes and sizes, but I've never seen one that's not an excellent mover. When you look at the mechanics of this horse (Always a Runner), that's what he throws all the time. It's remarkable." Fourth on the general sire list heading into Friday's action, Gun Runner has a chance to further narrow the gap Saturday should Further Ado take down the $5 million classic to become his first Kentucky Derby winner. It was over the Churchill Downs track, after all, where Gun Runner earned his first career win and his first grade 1. As his pedigree demonstrated once more Friday, he is far from done making a move to the front. "He throws class and he throws tenacity," Cauthen said. "And they get better with age. They're good, then they (get) better, then they can get great."