Gun Runner

A Grade I-winning juvenile at Saratoga, Leave No Trace picked up her second consecutive victory of the season in Saturday's GIII Vagrancy S. Stalking Beguine (Gun Runner) from second through fractions of :22.24 and :44.72, Jose Lezcano called on his charge for more in the lane and she responded, collaring Beguine entering the final furlong. The 8-1 chance took over from there and held the favored California invader Big Pond, making her first start for Bill Mott, safe. Leave No Trace, winner of the 2022 GI Spinaway S., ended a...

Debuted at Gulfstream in January, Corporate Power has continued to be on the improve for Shug McGaughey, breaking his maiden in his second start Feb. 24. Shipped to New York, he came up 1 1/4-length short of Unique Insight (Gun Runner) as the favorite facing allowance horses over a sloppy/sealed track Apr. 12 but still posted a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Stepped up in class and racing with the addition of blinkers Saturday in his stakes debut, Corporate Power flashed early speed but was outrun and had to race...

BALTIMORE, MD -- On a day where the track was proving kind to front-runners, Gun Song (Gun Runner) benefitted from a text-book ride by Hall of Famer John Velazquez to give Mark Hennig a win for longtime client Lee Lewis in Pimlico's Friday feature, the GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. The 14-race card concluded with record handle of $28.4 million, up from $28.2 million one year ago. Breaking slightly inward from post 5, the chestnut cruised into contention, positioning herself on the flank of 18-1 shot Jeanne Marie...

Before anything else, first and foremost we need to acknowledge the unfathomable legacy of Darling My Darling (Deputy Minister) as second dam of both colts denied in an agonizing three-way finish to the GI Kentucky Derby. The odds of that coincidence, for all her elite blood and performance, are best be left to an actuary. In the meantime, however, we should salvage the contrasting narratives aptly condensed, in what remains the definitive test of the American Thoroughbred, by her two grandsons. For our collective obsession with first place is such...

A running-on second to Alva Starr (Lord Nelson) when making her seasonal return in Keeneland's GI Resolute Racing Madison S. Apr. 6, Vahva (Gun Runner) was the 8-5 favorite to reverse form with that rival in Saturday's GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs and clawed past late for her first win at the elite level. Quickest into stride from an outside barrier, the $280,000 Keeneland September graduate came back nicely into the hands of Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was content to stalk the pace from third as Alva...

Old Friends, which will host its 19th Annual Homecoming Event on Sunday, May 5, has opened absentee bidding for a number of halters featured in a live and silent auction. Halters previously worn by Afleet Alex, Candy Ride (Arg), Channel Maker, Feathered, Gun Runner, I'll Have Another, Lava Man, Sea Hero, Serena's Song, Silver Charm, Silver State, Sky Mesa, and Tapit are available, with most accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. To bid, email your name, address, and phone number along with your highest bid to: horses@oldfriendsequine.org. The final deadline...

She's back, and back with a vengeance. Barbara T (f, 3, Army Mule--Alternative Energy, by Kantharos) disappeared from her foes and made her seasonal debut at Keeneland one worthy of a 'TDN Rising Star' nod. Last seen in her lone juvenile start July 30 at Del Mar, she finished a begrudging second to fellow debuter Chatalas (Gun Runner), who would eventually go on to win the GII Chandelier S. and place in the GII Starlet S. as well as the Blue Norther S. that season. That race would also yield...

1st-Keeneland, $79,675, Msw, 4-26, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.35, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. SATURDAY FLIRT (f, 2, Mendelssohn--Dragic {MSP, $104,350}, by Broken Vow) raced near the rear of the field on this unveiling, biding her time in cover as the frontrunners put up :21.89 and :45.18 early splits. Swung seven wide to the grandstand side as they rolled into the stretch, Saturday Flirt closed relentlessly but managed to overhaul 28-1 longshot Bois Blanc (First Samurai) in the late stages to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Out of a half-sister to...

Triple Crown winner Justify, champion Gun Runner, and jockey Joel Rosario lead a class of nine new members to be inducted this year to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame. In addition to those three entries--all in their first year of eligibility--jockey Abe Hawkins and racehorses Aristides and Lecomte have been selected by the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee; and Harry F. Guggenheim, Clement L. Hirsch, and Joe Hirsch were chosen by the Pillars of the Turf Committee. Joel Rosario, 39, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has...

The rankings below are independent from the "Road to the GI Kentucky Derby" leaderboard that Churchill Downs uses to determine starting berths. In addition, several horses listed here could be aiming for other Triple Crown races. 1) MUTH (c, Good Magic--Hoppa, by Uncle Mo) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales history: $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 6-4-2-0, $1,504,100. Last start: WON Mar. 30 GI Arkansas Derby. Right now there's a court showdown in Kentucky initiated by...

Spendthrift Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), sidelined with a fractured splint bone in her left hind leg after fading to seventh as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, has begun to gear up for her sophomore campaign. The talented daughter of Hall of Famer Beholder (Henny Hughes) has posted a pair of two-furlong breezes for trainer Richard Mandella over Santa Anita's all-weather surface this month, most recently stopping the timer in :23.80 (1/1) Apr. 10. How are the initial reports so far?...

Fresh off a yet another win in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, trainer Chad Brown joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to offer up insight on Sierra Leone's definitive victory and share how he hopes to see the $2.3-million son of Gun Runner progress from here. Brown was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week. While Sierra Leone's come-from-behind Blue Grass win was one of the more visually impressive Kentucky Derby preps of the year, the race left plenty of room for improvement...