Grade 1 Winner Gun Runner Likely Dubai Bound

The mantra of many horsemen is to "let the horse tell them" what the next step of progression should be. After turning in his first workout since capturing the Feb. 20 Razorback Handicap (G3) in his seasonal debut, Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner let his connections know he is willing to be Dubai-bound.

The prospective American contingent for the $10 million Dubai World Cup Presented by Emirates Airline (G1) March 25 received another boost when Winchell Thoroughbreds manager David Fiske confirmed Gun Runner's planned presence at Meydan following the colt's five-furlong move in 1:01 1/5 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 4.

When plans of starting Gun Runner in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 28 fell through because of quarantine restrictions brought on by an outbreak of the equine herpesvirus at Fair Grounds, it put his Dubai aspirations in jeopardy. The 4-year-old son of Candy Ride   tossed that idea firmly back on the table when he cantered to a gate-to-wire, 5 3/4-length victory in the Razorback at Oaklawn Park, then backed up his recovery form with a solid work and a gallop out to six furlongs in 1:14.10 Saturday.

MITCHELL: Gun Runner Rolls to Razorback Handicap Victory

"When (the Pegasus) was eliminated and we went to the Razorback, we thought 'Maybe if he runs OK, we'll think about going (to Dubai),'" Fiske said. "But he ran I guess beyond most people's expectations. So everyone thought, 'We'll see how he does the next couple works and we'll make all the arrangements to go.' And if he's still acting like he was before the Razorback we'll go take a shot."

Fiske said Gun Runner is likely to leave trainer Steve Asmussen's Fair Grounds barn March 12, when he will head to Miami and then have a direct flight to Dubai.

There will be a certain steel-colored monster waiting to greet the grade 1-winning chestnut. 

It was confirmed this week that Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Pegasus World Cup hero Arrogate will also ship to Dubai, where he is expected to be an overwhelming favorite to add international glory to a legacy that has swelled by incredible proportions in just seven starts. If Arrogate is the unabashed top dog, however, one could argue Gun Runner is the equally clear second in command in the handicap ranks.

And with the Meydan track playing to speed the way it has in recent results, Gun Runner's high-cruising style could very well make it so Arrogate has to go through him en route to the wire.

"Hopefully our horse is as good as he can be, and if he's good enough to beat Arrogate, that's great," Fiske said. "Arrogate seems like he's a pretty special kind of animal. Arrogate ... I don't even know how to describe him. Everyone calls him a freak or whatever, but he's very fast and ... he's probably the best horse in the world at the moment.

"We'll just try and get there as good as we can and run our race. If it's good enough to beat Arrogate, then whoopee. Otherwise, we get beaten by the best horse in the world."

Bred by Besliu Stables, Gun Runner has won seven of 13 starts—and finished worse than third just twice—with earnings of $2,337,800. He proved the iron horse of the 3-year-old class of 2016, with four graded stakes wins from nine starts last season, including his triumph over older horses in the Clark Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs Nov. 25.