Gun Runner Breezes for Stephen Foster

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's grade 1 winner Gun Runner breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 May 29 at Churchill Downs in preparation for a probable start in the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) June 17.

With regular rider Florent Geroux aboard, the 4-year-old son of Candy Ride   started two-lengths behind workmate Tapsolute and finished about one length ahead at the wire, according to Churchill Downs' official clocker John Nichols. The Steve Asmussen trainee breezed through fractions of :12 1/5, :24 1/5, :36 and :47 4/5 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12 and seven furlongs in 1:25 1/5.

"He's an awesome horse," Asmussen said.

Gun Runner has a 7-3-2 record from 14 starts, with $4,337,800 in earnings. The chestnut colt has fared well over the Churchill Downs surface including a third-place finish in the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and victories in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) and Clark Handicap (G1). Most recently Gun Runner ran second to champion Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) at Meydan March 25. 

The Stephen Foster Handicap is a "Win and You're In" for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), giving the winner an automatic berth to the 1 1/4-mile race Nov. 4 at Del Mar. 

Also on the Churchill worktab Monday was Kentucky Derby eighth-place finisher McCraken, who worked five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard for trainer Ian Wilkes. 

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Graded stakes winner Streamline, third last out in the La Troienne Stakes Presented by Spirited Funds (G1), breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 for trainer Brian Williamson. Asmussen had stakes-placed runners Gettysburg and Total Tap out Monday, with Gettysburg going five furlongs in 1:01 and Total Tap working four furlongs in :51 2/5.