This fall in Kentucky, it seemed that one 2-year-old after another from the Brad Cox barn was successful in maiden and allowance races at Keeneland and Churchill Downs.
Asked last month which of these youngsters excited him in addition to Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Timberlake , his most established 2-year-old, Cox did not hesitate, replying, "Nash."
Video Analysis: King Analyzes the Gun Runner Field
Now, it is up to Nash, a Medaglia d'Oro colt owned and bred by Godolphin, to justify that faith when he leads Risk It, Track Phantom, and five other juveniles in the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes Dec. 23 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The 1 1/16-mile race kicks off a series of route races for Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls at the New Orleans track, followed by the Jan. 20 Lecomte Stakes (G3), the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes (G2), and March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2).
As a race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Gun Runner offers qualifying points toward the May 4 Run for the Roses, distributed on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to its top five finishers.
Second first out in a quick sprint Oct. 7 at Keeneland, Nash graduated with style in his second outing when stretched out Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs. Shooting to the lead in his first route, he extended his advantage down the stretch, winning by 10 1/4 lengths with 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.15. That earned him a stakes-quality 104 Equibase Speed Figure.
"He's a good colt—we've liked him a lot," Cox said. "It was a dominant performance (going two turns for the first time). He's given us confidence. Based off how he works, he appears to have multiple gears. He really has a turn of foot. When the rider calls upon him, he accelerates quickly. We're still trying to figure him out with only two runs under his belt, but he's a nice talent."
Florent Geroux returns in the irons aboard Nash, who is out of the three-time graded stakes-winning Malibu Moon mare Sara Louise. Nash is a half brother to the graded-placed Sara Street and minor stakes winner Spa City.
Cox also runs Albaugh Family Stables' Catching Freedom, who, after a debut win at Churchill Downs, ran fourth in an allowance optional claiming race there Nov. 9.
Corey Lanerie is aboard the son of Constitution .
Asmussen's Duo
- Fittingly, a son of Gun Runner is bidding to win a race honoring the 2017 Horse of the Year and star stallion—that being Risk It. A debut winner at Saratoga Race Course, he has since run second in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) and fourth in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
- Steve Asmussen trains Risk It for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm—the same connections who campaigned Gun Runner. Joel Rosario rides Risk It.
- Asmussen also starts Track Phantom for owners L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy. The son of Quality Road was a 4 3/4-length maiden winner under Rosario at Churchill Downs Nov. 25 after two on-the-board finishes in maiden races. Cristian Torres picks up the mount.
Next Level, Neat, Footprint, and Snead complete the field.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 23, 2023, Race 12Entries: Gun Runner S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Next Level (KY) David Cohen 122 J. Keith Desormeaux 20/1 2 2Catching Freedom (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 122 Brad H. Cox 5/1 3 3Risk It (KY) Joel Rosario 122 Steven M. Asmussen 5/1 4 4Neat (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 122 Rob Atras 12/1 5 5Footprint (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 122 Kenneth G. McPeek 20/1 6 6Nash (KY) Florent Geroux 122 Brad H. Cox 7/5 7 7Snead (KY) Jareth Loveberry 122 Brendan P. Walsh 6/1 8 8Track Phantom (KY) Cristian A. Torres 122 Steven M. Asmussen 7/2
Juvenile Fillies Also In Action
The Gun Runner is one of eight $100,000 stakes races on the card at Fair Grounds, with the Untapable Stakes being another. The latter is a points race for next year's Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Alpine Princess, Legadema, and West Omaha lead the six juvenile fillies in the Untapable, contested at a mile and 70 yards. It goes as the day's ninth race, three races before the Gun Runner completes the program.
Other notable entries on the stakes-filled card include Halina's Forte in the Letellier Memorial Stakes; Private Creed in the Richard R. Scherer Memorial Stakes; and Two Emmys in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, December 23, 2023, Race 9Entries: Untapable S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Alpine Princess (KY) Florent Geroux 122 Brad H. Cox 3/1 2 2Band of Gold (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 122 Kenneth G. McPeek 8/1 3 3Sistina Chapel (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 122 Kenneth G. McPeek 5/1 4 4Fibber (KY) Mitchell Murrill 122 W. Bret Calhoun 4/1 5 5Legadema (KY) Martin Garcia 122 Philip A. Bauer 3/1 6 6West Omaha (KY) Joel Rosario 122 Brad H. Cox 5/2
