Gun Runner works for Foster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gun Runner geared up for the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 17 by working five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Monday for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Monday’s breeze marked Gun Runner’s longest work since resuming training following his runner-up finish to Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup on March 25 at Meydan, where he was beaten 2 1/4 lengths after setting the pace. A five-time graded stakes winner with earnings of more than $4.3 million, he had breezed halfmiles in 51 seconds on May 8 and May 15.

Churchill Downs clockers caught Gun Runner in splits of 13.20 seconds, 25, and 36.60 before timing him galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.60 and seven furlongs in 1:28.60, accomplished without urging from his exercise rider.

Regarded by many as the second-best older handicap horse in the country behind Arrogate, Gun Runner won’t be without a challenge in the Stephen Foster. Also expected to run is another talented Churchill Downs-based horse in Bird Song, the winner of the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes on Oaks Day. Out-of-town invaders also regularly target the race.

Bird Song breezed Saturday at Churchill, covering a halfmile in 50 seconds over a “good” surface in his first work since the Alysheba.

Gun Runner, owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm, is a winner of three of five starts at Churchill Downs, including the Grade 1 Clark Handicap last fall in his last appearance beneath the Twin Spires. He was also third behind Nyquist and Exaggerator in last year’s Kentucky Derby.

Some in Tieme seeks big payday

Trainer Kenny McPeek should have an active schedule during Belmont Stakes week. In addition to having Preakness third-place finisher Senior Investment for the Belmont on June 10, he is hoping to start Some in Tieme in the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup at two miles on turf June 9 if the horse is invited to the race.

It is hard to imagine that not happening since Some in Tieme won Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs by three lengths, earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Last of 12 early, he angled out in the stretch and blew past pacesetter and runner-up Reporting Star with a final quarter-mile in approximately 23 seconds.

He relished the stretch-out to 1 1/2 miles in the Louisville Handicap after finishing a fastclosing second in a 1 1/16-mile turf race April 19 at Keeneland in his first start for McPeek. Previously, the horse had gone unplaced twice in California for trainer Paulo Lobo after a successful career in Brazil, where he won two Group 1 races.

McPeek credited Lobo for sending Some in Tieme to him in great condition and said the horse’s return to form was the result of the right types of races being available in Kentucky. He is excited to see what the horse can do going forward.

“Horses by that sire, Shirocco, are made for a mile and a half, two miles,” he said.

Trainer Walsh goes 3 for 3

One day after trainer J.R. Caldwell won three races at Churchill, trainer Brendan Walsh did the same Sunday, scoring victories with all of his starters.

His three winners graduated from the maiden ranks by going to the lead and drawing away, with War Union ($8.40) taking the third race, Golden Humor ($3.40) the sixth, and British Humor ($6.20) the last race. Corey Lanerie rode the first two, James Graham the latter.

The victories moved Walsh into a three-way tie with Mark Casse and Ian Wilkes for fourth in the Churchill trainer standings. Caldwell, Brad Cox, and Steve Asmussen are first, second, and third.

Caldwell picked up another win Sunday when Ship Disturber ($4) won the fourth race by a head under Ricardo Santana, improving Caldwell’s record at the meet to 10 for 15, a far cry from when he went 3 for 48 in 2015 during his last spring meet at Churchill.

The Texas-based Caldwell has assistant trainer Kylie Salisbury overseeing his Churchill Downs division.