By Bill Finley
In Risk It (Gun Runner), who made his career debut in Saturday's first race at Saratoga, you had a horse by an exceptional sire, one who sold for $500,000 as a yearling, was taking money at the windows and is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. He figured to be a runner, and he was.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Risk It broke sharply, quickly opened up by two lengths on the backstretch and cruised home from there in a race that was never in doubt. A $136,5000 maiden special weight race run at six furlongs on the dirt, Risk It won by 4 1/2 lengths. He covered the distance in 1:10.75 and paid $5.30. He is owned by the partnership of Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Three Chimneys Farm.
“He's a nice colt,” Asmussen said. “He's looked like it for a long time. The Gun Runner partnership, Three Chimneys and Winchell, hopefully, they are in on another good one.”
Gun Runner stands at Three Chimneys and was campaigned by the Winchells and was trained by Asmussen, but they discovered this colt at Keeneland September. He was bred in Kentucky by Gun Runner Syndicate & De Sousa Stables & Cranford Bloodstock LTD.
“They bought him last year at Keeneland September,” Asmussen noted. “He was obviously extremely attractive and the Gunner Runner's are as good as they get. He's a very exciting horse.”
“He's got the demeanor and great ability, so we expect him to stretch out nicely,” Asmussen continued. “He's always been talented.”
Asmussen has always shown a knack for having his 2-year-olds ready to run right from the start and many, like Risk It, flash early speed. Asmussen said much of the credit goes to his father Keith and mother Marilyn, who run the El Primero Training Center in Laredo, Texas. The Asmussen horses come out of Laredo ready to fire.
“He came through mom and dad's program in Laredo,” Asmussen said. “He has always acted the part and is great to see him win in Saratoga. (Winchell Thoroughbreds racing manager) David Fiske calls it the 'Laredo Leap,' the way they break out of the gate. They spend a lot of time at the gate with them individually. It's the crew that they have and the great job they have always done.”
Risk It may not be the only horse to come out of this race with a bright future. Hunt Ball (Into Mischief), a half-brother to Horse of the Year candidate Cody's Wish (Curlin), finished second. He was never a threat to the winner but ran a very promising race. Here is what the Equibase chart caller had to say in his footnote about his trip: “HUNT BALL got bumped at the start behind REMEMBER THENAME by MIDDLE MARKET breaking inwards and conceded four lengths to the front before settling into stride.”
Like Cody's Wish, Hunt Ball is trained by Bill Mott, who is not known for pushing his first-time-starters.
Risk It is out of Wedding Jitters (Broken Vow). Wedding Jitters has a yearling filly by Laoban and, without a foal this year, was bred back to Nyquist. Wedding Jitters had a modest racing career, winning two of nine career starts while earning $39,703.
1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-19, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.75, ft, 4 1/2 lengths.
RISK IT (c, 2, Gun Runner–Wedding Jitters, by Broken Vow), sent off the 8-5 favorite, wired the field for a debut victory at Saratoga Saturday. A $500,000 Keeneland September purchase, the chestnut colt jumped out to the early lead and was clear through a quarter in :22.60 and a half in :46.00. He shrugged off a challenge from Hunt Ball (Into Mischief) at midstretch and strode clear under a hand ride to graduate by 4 1/2 lengths. Wedding Jitters has a yearling filly by Laoban and, without a foal this year, was bred back to Nyquist. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750.
O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Three Chimneys Farm; B-Gun Runner Syndicate & De Sousa Stables & Cranford Bloodstock LTD (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
RISK IT, a 2YO by @Three_Chimneys stallion Gun Runner breaks his maiden under @Tyler_Gaff for trainer Steve Asmussen in the opener today at #Saratoga! pic.twitter.com/XddzM1yvTv
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 19, 2023
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