Three Chimneys Farm announced Jan. 29 that grade 1-winning millionaire Gun Pilot , a Three Chimneys homebred, has been represented by his first reported foal, bred by Tommy Wente's St. Simon Place near Lexington. The bay colt is out of the winning mare Just Life, a half sister to graded stakes-placed Electability and hails from the female family of Lion Heart.
Wente's foal by Gun Pilot, who is a grade 1-winning son of Gun Runner , one of his sire's 16 millionaires and 12 grade 1 winners, marks the first arrival for the accomplished sprinter/miler. Gun Pilot's crowning achievement came on Derby Day at Churchill Downs in 2024, where he drew off by daylight to capture the $1 million Churchill Downs Stakes (G1). The race has long served as a proving ground for elite stallions. Previous winners include Distorted Humor, Speightstown, and more recently Cody's Wish and Mindframe .
"He's a big colt with a lot of bone. The first thing that struck me was how much he looked like his sire—big and strong. I bred four mares to him last year, and when they come out looking like this, you've got to go back," Wente said.
"Gun Pilot is very much like Gun Runner—scopey, strong, and a great mover, but with a bit more size and substance than his sire. Progeny by sons of Gun Runner have been in high demand, and with Gun Pilot entering his second year at stud, he represents a great opportunity for breeders to access this highly sought-after sire line. Three of the top five 3-year-olds on the BloodHorse Derby Dozen are by Gun Runner," said Rebecca Nicholson, director of stallion nominations at Three Chimneys Farm.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
