GUN RUNNER LEAVES NO DOUBT IN WHITNEY
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » In addition to being known for the high quality of its recent fields, the $1.2 million Whitney Stakes (G1) has also been producing a lot of close finishes. Between 2010 and 2016, the average winning margin in the race was little more than a length. Most memorable were Blame’s head decision over Quality Road in 2010 and Honor Code making up nearly five lengths on Liam’s Map in his neck triumph in 2015. Whitney winners Fort Larned, Cross Traffic and Moreno were also involved in relatively close finishes.
This year’s Whitney wasn’t like that. That is, it wasn’t even close. But Gun Runner’s performance was every bit as impressive as that of any Whitney winner in recent memory. Taking over with a half-mile to run, the son of Candy Ride ran like a 3-5 favorite should, powering through the stretch in dominating by 5¼ widening lengths.
The final time of 1:47.71 for nine furlongs over a track rated “fast” – but which has generally been producing slow times – was even better than the numbers indicate.
“He’s spoiling us, he really is,” said winning trainer Steve Asmussen. “He went about his business, and [jockey] Florent [Geroux] gave him a flawless ride. We talked about the pace scenario with a possible rabbit, but we wanted him to wait and not take away from what got him here. Florent showed a lot of confidence to take the lead when he did.”
Cautious Giant led for the first half-mile, which went in :48.31. But Geroux let Gun Runner go as he swung into the turn, and he quickly established space be-
tween himself and his pursuers. The margin was two lengths turning for home, and Gun Runner poured it on from there. Keen Ice (31) came with his customary late run to edge Breaking Lucky for the place. War Story was fourth and was followed by Discreet Lover, Tu Brutus and Cautious Giant. “My horse broke super sharp today from the gate,” said Geroux, who has been aboard for Gun Runner’s last 13 starts. “I could have gone to the lead if I wanted to, but I just stayed [covered up] until the fiveeighths pole, and from there the race was pretty much over. I just gave him a tap around the eighth pole to make sure he stayed focused, but there was not even a need for that.”
Keen Ice, who was competing in his 14th Grade 1, showed again why he commands respect. The 5-year-old son of Curlin dug in late as if he still had a shot at catching the winner. Second-place money of $220,000 fattened Keen Ice’s bankroll to $3,257,245.
“I thought he ran very well,” said Todd Pletcher, the trainer for his last seven races. “He stumbled a bit at the start, and we didn’t quite get the pace that we were hoping for, but I thought he ran his race and closed well. He was coming at the end.”
The Whitney is Gun Runner’s third Grade 1 victory, following last fall’s Clark Handicap and this spring’s Stephen Foster. He has finished first or second in his last seven races, five of them Grade 1s. His record stands at 9-3-2 in 16 starts, with lifetime earnings of $5,288,500.