Gun Runner Has Final Whitney Work
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Photo: Coady Photography
Gun Runner will start next in the grade 1 Whitney Aug. 9
Grade 1 winner Gun Runner breezed a half-mile in :49.33 the morning of July 30 at Saratoga Race Course to wrap up his major preparations for the Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 5.
On the Oklahoma training track at 6 a.m., the 4-year-old chestnut colt by Candy Ride covered the first eighth of a mile in :12 4/5 and a quarter-mile in :25 1/5, according to NYRA clockers. He galloped out to five furlongs in 1:03 1/5.
"I thought he worked good. He always works well," said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. "He's a nice horse and (it was) more of the same. He's a very generous workhorse. The weather's been ideal. I think we've been lucky with it so far. Obviously there's a pretty good chance of rain for the Whitney, but that's out of our hands. We'll see how he handles everything."
Gun Runner is exiting a seven-length victory in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) June 17 at Churchill Downs, his first race back since finishing second to champion Arrogate in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) in March. He kicked off his year with a front-running 5 3/4-length score in the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park in February.
ANGST: Gun Runner Powers to Easy Stephen Foster Win
Another grade 1 winner on the Saratoga work tab this weekend was Time and Motion.
The Tapit filly breezed Saturday in preparation for the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa (G2T) Aug. 26. The Phillips Racing Partnership homebred was clocked going four furlongs in :49.45 over the Oklahoma turf track in her first breeze since a third-place finish in the Modesty Handicap (G3T) July 8 at Arlington International Race Course.
"She breezed really nice yesterday. She looks good and came out of her last race in Chicago in good order," said trainer Jimmy Toner. "We want to try something different. We know the Ballston Spa is a mile-and-a-sixteenth, but we want to run and it looks like the ideal place to go."
Time and Motion won the last time she raced at the Spa, capturing the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) in August for her first graded stakes victory.