Off as the 6-5 chalk in Saturday's $1-million Listed Gun Runner S. at Kentucky Downs, Joe Allen and CHC's TALK OF THE NATION (c, 3, Quality Road–She's Not Here, by Street Cry {Ire}) took command in upper stretch and staved off a stinging late rally from Wadsworth to lead home a 1-2 finish for their in-form stallion.
Away in good order, Talk of the Nation took up a stalking position from second early on as Smokey Mandate (Strong Mandate) made the running down the hill and towards the side of the galloping oval. Held together into the final quarter mile, the dark bay put his head in front with about a furlong to travel and kept on resolutely. Wadsworth lingered towards the back of the pack early and was committed to an overland passage at an early stage by Florent Geroux. The Godolphin homebred finished full of run down the center of the course and was gaining late, but the wire arrived in time. A maiden winner in two starts on the dirt to begin his career, Talk of the Nation took his first two tries once switched to the turf, including Tampa's Columbia S. Mar. 11. A money-burning runner-up in the June 3 Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park, he was last seen checking in second to More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in the GIII Manila S. at Belmont Park July 7.
🏆#6 TALK OF THE NATION ($4.74) wins the $1 million Gun Runner Stakes at @KYDownsRacing!
The colt by @LanesEndFarms's Quality Road was ridden by @jose93_ortiz for trainer Shug Mcgaughey and owners Joseph Allen & @Chinahorseclub. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/4zd3GwKNba
— TVG (@TVG) September 2, 2023
It was the second win on the afternoon as breeder for China Horse Club, who was represented by new 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road at Sararoga. The colt's GII Yellow Ribbon S.-winning dam was acquired by CHC for $1.3 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale, and is herself out of Where's Bailey, a stakes-winning half-sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}); MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch); and 'Rising Star' Eblouissante (Bernardini), the dam of this year's GII Rebel S. upsetter Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}). She's Not Here is the dam of a yearling colt by CHC part-owned champion Improbable and was most recently covered by Life Is Good, also campaigned by CHC in partnership.
GUN RUNNER S., $1,000,000, Kentucky Downs, 9-2, 3yo, 1mT, 1:32.93, fm.
1–TALK OF THE NATION, 122, c, 3, by Quality Road
1st Dam: She's Not Here (MGSW, $450,453), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Where's Bailey, by Aljabr
3rd Dam: Vertigineux, by Kris S.
($470,000 RNA 2yo '22 FTFMAR). O-Joseph Allen LLC and CHC INC.; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $600,840. Lifetime Record: 7-4-2-0, $778,610.
2–Wadsworth, 122, g, 3, Quality Road–Dickinson, by Medaglia d'Oro. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $196,400.
3–Smokey Mandate, 118, g, 3, Strong Mandate–Even Forest, by Even the Score. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Freddy Lewis, (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $98,200.
Margins: HF, 1HF, HD. Odds: 1.37, 2.84, 17.33.
Also Ran: Gaslight Dancer, Highway Robber, Major Dude, Escape Artist, Communication Memo. Scratched: Georgie W, Tall Boy.
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