Gun Runner Heavily Favored in Matt Winn
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Photo: Coady Photography/Churchill Downs
Gun Runner at Churchill Downs in early May
The team behind Gun Runner is looking to regroup and get back to the winner's circle June 18 in the $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
Gun Runner, a grade II winning son of Candy Ride —Quiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway, will be making his first start since finishing a solid third May 7 in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). The chestnut colt is co-owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Three Chimneys Farm, and Besilu Stables. Benjamin Leon Jr., owner of Besilu, bred Gun Runner.
As the lone graded stakes winner in the field of seven, Gun Runner is the heavy 3/5 favorite. He is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who was aboard for the colt's victories in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) earlier in the year.
The only other stakes winner in the field is Texas Chrome, a Texas-bred son of Grasshopper —Margarita Mistress, by Naevus, who is coming into the Matt Winn off a 10 1/2-length romp in the restricted Texas Stallion Stakes at a mile and 40 yards. The Matt Winn distance is 1 1/16 miles.
Texas Chrome is owned by Danny Keene's Keene Thoroughbreds and is trained by J.R. Caldwell. He'll be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., who has ridden the colt one other time in the Bachelor Stakes in mid-April at Oaklawn Park, where they finished third.
Bred by Craig Upham, Texas Chrome's last two works at Lone Star Park have been real tighteners. He worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 May 28 and another bullet four furlongs in :47 3/5 June 9, the best of 22 going this distance.
Dale Romans has the morning-line second choice, Unbridled Outlaw, who comes into the race off a second-placed finish June 3 in a $75,000 allowance/optional claiming race at Churchill. The Unbridled's Song—Letgomyecho, by Menifee, colt ran third in the grade III Iroquois Stakes last September at Churchill.