Grade 1 winner Gun Runner ran like the 1-5 favorite he was in Monday’s $500,000 Razorback H. (G3) at Oaklawn, outrunning Blue Tone to the lead in the 1 1/16-mile heat, setting all the fractions, and winning as he pleased by 5 3/4 lengths.
Under Florent Geroux, the four-year-old son of Candy Ride set a pace of :23.18, :46.88, and 1:11.29 while steadily increasing his margin. The final time over a fast track was 1:40.97.
Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, the Steve Asmussen charge paid $2.40.
This was the season debut for Gun Runner, one of last year’s leading three-year-olds when he captured the Risen Star (G2), Louisiana Derby (G2), Matt Winn (G3), and Clark H. (G1). The flashy chestnut also placed in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Travers (G1), Pennsylvania Derby (G2), and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
“He’s a fast horse. We’re very happy to get this race done,” Asmussen said. “We’ve always been confident that this horse would get better with time.”
In a post-race interview, Asmussen was non-committal with regards to Gun Runner making a potential start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in late March. On the domestic front, other upcoming stakes are the $300,000 New Orleans H. (G2) at Fair Grounds on April 1 and the $750,000 Oaklawn H. (G2) on April 15.
Hawaakom, a 12-1 chance in the field of six, outran Domain’s Rap for the place by 2 3/4 lengths. The strung-out field’s order of finish was rounded out by Goats Town, Smack Smack, and Blue Tone.
