Gun Runner Colt Leads Early at Keeneland at $800k

A chestnut yearling colt by Gun Runner, cataloged as Hip 114, sold for $800,000 to MWG to be the early leader on opening day Jan. 12 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. The colt became the second horse in the early part of the session to sell for more than $500,000. Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Spry Family bred the colt out of grade 2 winner Deceptive Vision (A.P. Indy), making the yearling a half brother to graded-placed winner Ancient Peace. Deceptive Vision is a full sister to 2009 Canadian champion 3-year-old male and Queen's Plate winner Eye of the Leopard. Hill 'n' Dale purchased the mare at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale for $900,000, in foal to War Front. "He was always very good. One we had a lot of excitement for coming into the sale," said Jes Sikura with Hill 'n' Dale. "I know there was a lot of popularity … That's probably about what we were expecting. There's a lot of things happening in that family, so we're happy with the result and excited to see what his plans are for the future." MWG's Marc Gunderson, who operates Twin Oaks Bloodstock, signed for three other horses during the first day of the January Sale, including a Life is Good yearling colt (Hip 102) for $150,000. Hip 102 is out of the Gemologist mare Crystalology, who is a half sister to the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Roses For Debra. He also purchased a Maclean's Music filly (Hip 170) for $50,000, and a broodmare prospect and stakes winner Appeal Factor (Hip 10), for $50,000. Appeal Factor is a daughter of The Factor and from the immediate family of 2018 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) winner Wagnerian. Gunderson was active at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale and November Breeding Stock Sale. He purchased 22 yearlings in September for $8,745,000; 16 of them were fillies. Gunderson was back again a couple of months later to make a splash at the November Sale, signing for 20 head, which brought a total of $4,895,000. He was the fourth- and third-leading buyer by total purchases at these sales, respectively. Gun Runner stands at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., for an advertised fee of $250,000. The 2017 Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame inductee has sired 12 grade 1 winners and 16 millionaires during his rapid ascent in the stallion ranks. He finished third on the leading sire list in 2025, with his progeny earning $21,601,446. His top earner was grade 1 winner and sire Sierra Leone, who earned just over $2.1 million for the year.