Gun Runner romps impressively in the Razorback Handicap
First race of the year? It was absolutely no problem at all for Gun Runner. In his first start since November, the classy chestnut romped home a very impressive 5 3/4-length winner in today's $500,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park.
When last seen, the handsome son of Candy Ride was making simple work of a strong field in the Clark Handicap on November 25. That victory proved to be his first in a Grade 1 race, but after seeing today's dominant performance, it's hard to imagine Gun Runner not collecting more victories against top competition this year as a stronger and more mature four-year-old.
Sent off as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in the field of six, Gun Runner cruised right to the lead from his inside post position under regular rider, Florent Geroux. The second choice on the board, Blue Tone, tried to make a race of things into the first turn, but the heavy favorite quickly displayed his superiority in the Grade 3 affair.
Clicking off strong fractions of :23.18 and :46.88, Gun Runner zipped down the Oaklawn backstretch, while doing it on his own. Geroux was along for the ride, as his talented charge only let Blue Tone within shouting distance until he was given his cue to open up another gear. Lengthening his lead on the far turn, he reached the six-furlong marker in 1:11.29.
Pouring it on coming in to the stretch, his comfortable margin was suddenly four lengths or more, and his nearest rival had thrown in the towel. Hawaakom moved up on the inside to take up the chase, but Gun Runner was gone. He hit the mile in 1:34.83, and he was still doing it easily. Geroux kept him to task for a bit, before easing up on him again before the wire.
Gun Runner fluidly crossed the finish line the easiest kind of winner nearly six lengths ahead of Hawaakom, who was much the best of the rest. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was an excellent 1.40.97.
“This horse just gets better and better," gushed Geroux. "He was in every fight last year and he feels even better this year. I’m hoping the sky’s the limit for him.”
Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, the Steve Asmussen-trained star raised his stellar lifetime record to 13:7-2-2, with $2,337,800 million in the bank. Gun Runner has never failed to cash a check in his career. Now a five-time graded stakes winner, the Kentucky homebred also counts a romping win in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, a second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and a solid third in the Kentucky Derby among his growing highlight reel.
As the big favorite, Gun Runner paid $2.40, $2.20, and $2.10 across the board. The exacta with Hawaakom returned $11.60, while the 1-5-2 trifecta completed by Domain's Rap was good for $33.00.
Gun Runner's Hall of Fame trainer, Steve Asmussen talked about letting his star take the race to his competition right from the start.“Last year we learned to just let Gun Runner be Gun Runner and the success has come to him. We are just very thankful to Mr. Winchell and Three Chimneys for the opportunity to race this horse again this year," said Asmussen. "With his pedigree and winning a grade one last year it’s very sporting of them to give us another year to enjoy him.We’re very happy to get this race in him. We’ve always had a lot confidence that the horse would get better with time and I think he obviously has.”
The Razorback was Gun Runner's first start at Oaklawn Park. His connections will now have a decision as to where he goes next. Having been forced to miss the rich Pegasus World Cup due to complications stemming from a Fair Grounds virus quarantine, they could choose to point to the Dubai World Cup on March 25, and go after the big money, or choose to stay at home, and instead look to a race like the Oaklawn Handicap on April 15.