With Pegasus Still in the Air, Gun Runner Works at FG

His status for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) may be up in the air due to the quarantine at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, but grade 1 winner Gun Runner continues to get cranked for whatever is on the horizon, turning in a bullet six-furlong move in 1:13 1/5 Jan. 7 at the New Orleans track.

The work was the third for the freshly-turned 4-year-old son of Candy Ride   since earning his top-level score when he bested elders in the Nov. 25 Clark Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs.

NOVAK: Gun Runner Overcomes Elders in Clark

While trainer Steve Asmussen has been prepping the chestnut colt in anticipation of a possible run in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Jan. 28, the biggest obstacle is the fact no horses are currently allowed to ship in or out of Fair Grounds due to an outbreak of equine herpesvirus at the facility.

WINCZE HUGHES: Quarantine Has Gun Runner's Pegasus Hopes in Jeopardy

"Steve was really happy with him today and he's doing really well," said Doug Cauthen of Three Chimneys Farm, which co-owns Gun Runner with Winchell Thoroughbreds and would still need to work out a deal with an existing shareholder to get a spot for the Pegasus World Cup. "It's just a question of if the quarantine gets lifted or not. If it's not, it wasn't meant to be and we'll get a little bit more of a breather, which is OK too.

"I think he was just sort of sitting on go (after the Clark) so Steve was like 'Hey, let's start training him.'"

Gun Runner wheeled back to take the 1 1/8-mile Clark 21 days after running second in the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park. He has won six of 12 starts, finishing worse than third just twice, and has earnings of $2,037,800.

Other Pegasus hopefuls on the Saturday worktab included grade 1 winner Keen Ice and stablemate Neolithic, who went five furlongs in company at Palm Beach Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher. With Keen Ice on the outside, the duo finished up on even terms and were each credited with a time of 1:00 2/5.

"I thought they both worked super," Pletcher said in between races Saturday afternoon. "They seem to be doing well and everything is on schedule. I think we will keep them on a Saturday work schedule as long as the weather looks good."

Pletcher said Javier Castellano, aboard Keen Ice for Saturday's work, will ride him in the Pegasus. John Velazquez has the mount on Neolithic.

Stronach Stables' Shaman Ghost worked six furlongs in 1:14.65 the morning of Jan. 6 at the Palm Meadows Training Center for the inaugural running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said he will need to find a rider for Shaman Ghost, who who won the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in September with Castellano aboard. 

"The jockey is uncertain as I found out for sure that we don't have Javier as he stayed with Keen Ice," Jerkens said.