Who’s the greatest? Comparing Gun Runner to recent stars

What defines “best” when it comes to a racehorse? Is it accomplishments, money earned, brilliance, or a combination of them all?

Over the last few years, we’ve been treated to quite a few that could go down in the books as all-time greats. American Pharoah won the Triple Crown, California Chrome rose from obscurity to North America’s richest racehorse at one point, Arrogate was breathtakingly brilliant, and Gun Runner just kept on improving year after year, race after race.

Each runner achieved greatness in their own unique way, but who will go down as the greatest of the bunch?

American Pharoah
Record (11: 9-1-0)

Pros: His Resume. American Pharoah was a champion juvenile, and a dominating one at that. Then at 3, he won six Grade 1 races, one being the Breeders’ Cup Classic, while also becoming the first horse in 37 years to win the Triple Crown. In doing all of this, he conquered six different race tracks, making several cross-country trips, and never finishing worse than second.

Cons: There are very few negatives with Pharoah. However, you can debate the quality of his crop and point to the fact his figures were never overly impressive until the Classic. It is also unfortunate that he never got to run as a 4-year-old, whereas all others on this list did.  

Pros: Arrogate was an exceedingly brilliant racehorse. At his best, he arguably could beat each of the horses mentioned here. He won the Travers Stakes, shattering the track record with very little foundation, then followed that up with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He continued his streak through the Pegasus World Cup, all the way to Dubai, where he won a race that looked impossible to win. In short, when at his best Arrogate looked unbeatable. He ran monster numbers, won running every type of running style, while conquering both coasts and Dubai.

Cons: For whatever reason, Arrogate was slow to mature and quick to regress. His brilliance only last four races. Albeit they were top races, but it was just four races nonetheless, before he came crashing down to earth. Because of that fact, he was never crowned Horse of the Year for a complete campaign.

Pros: California Chrome has an extensive resume, winning Grade 1 races as a 3-year-old and an older horse, while also proving to be quite durable as well. The dual classic winner took both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, plus later in his sophomore campaign won a Grade 1 on turf. After an ill-conceived 4-year-old season, in which he went winless and dealt with bone bruises, he returned as a 5-year-old. With much better management, he dominated the older male division in California. 

Cons: While successful at 3, he was inconsistent in the second half of that season. California Chrome also went winless from June of 2014 until January of 2016. For all of his achievements, he was never able to win a Breeders’ Cup race. 

Gun Runner
Record (19-12-3-2)

Pros: He was good at ages 2 and 3 but great at 4. Gun Runner never seemed to stop improving and carried a reputation for soundness all the way into retirement following Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup. In 2017, running as an older horse, he hit a new level, only losing once during a campaign packed with prestigious Grade 1 races. The season was capped with a scintillating, front-running score in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And then came the Pegasus victory, in which he overcame an outside post position to top the toughest field he ever faced.

Cons: Gun Runner, unlike those mentioned above, was not a dominant 3-year-old. He was good, winning the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and later the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, but he by no means led the class. It’s by no means a knock on the horse, but he faced questions of wanting the “classic” distance until he reached true greatness in the Breeders’ Cup.

Which of those was the best of all? Like I said, they were all great in their own way, and in their own time. However, when looking at records, accomplishments, brilliance, durability and overall dominance, I think the answer is pretty clear. 

The Triple Crown winner reigns supreme.