Gun Runner Sets Track Ablaze in Latest Work

With frigid weather looming in New Orleans, trainer Steve Asmussen wanted a little something extra from Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Gun Runner  during his weekly workout Dec. 31 in preparation for Gulfstream Park's $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).

And in the case of Gun Runner, the heavy favorite likely to be feted as North America's Horse of the Year two days before the Jan. 27 Pegasus, a little extra produces extraordinary.

In company with his regular workmate Gettysburg, Gun Runner powered through three-quarters of a mile in 1:10 3/5 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on the last day before both horses officially turn 5.

The Fair Grounds clockers timed Gun Runner's eighth-mile splits in :12 2/5 for the first furlong, followed by :24 flat for the quarter-mile, :35 1/5 for three-eighths, :47 3/5 for the half, and :58 1/5 for five-eighths, with gallop-out times of 1:24 3/5 for seven furlongs and 1:39 1/5 for a mile.

"He worked amazing. Time to pick it up with him, and obviously he's very willing," Asmussen said. "He looked wonderful and cooled out great. He's just fast."

Gun Runner's half-mile split of :47 3/5 was faster than horses working that distance Sunday (:47 4/5 being the fastest time among that group of 93). Regular exercise rider Angel Garcia was aboard Gun Runner, with jockey Florent Geroux in France because of his father's death last week.

Asmussen isn't known for mandating fast times from his horses but the trainer did want Gun Runner to do more than he might under normal circumstances, given that the temperature is expected to plunge below freezing the next few nights.

"We have a little pending weather coming, and we're most likely going to miss a couple of days," he said. "I really wanted him to get something out of this, in case the weather lingers around. So we did ask him to pick it up today. I thought he did it nicely. He looked great. If all is perfect, we'll have two more works here before we go to Gulfstream."

Gun Runner is scheduled to fly to Florida Jan. 18. The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus will be Gun Runner's last race before retiring to a stallion career at Three Chimneys Farm, which co-owns the horse with Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Charles Fipke's Seeking the Soul, who in his last two starts won a Keeneland allowance race by nine lengths and Churchill Downs' Clark Handicap presented by Norton Healthcare (G1), worked a half-mile in :48 flat Sunday at Fair Grounds under regular exercise and work rider Emerson Chavez in preparation for the Pegasus. The time was the fourth-fastest out of 93 at the distance, with three horses clocked in :47 4/5.

"Very good. Sharp. Looked good," said trainer Dallas Stewart. "Came back great. Galloped out in a minute and change, so I feel good about it. I just wanted him to be sharp. He's been galloping sharp and I figured the work would be sharp. He's getting there and I'm very happy with him."

Stewart said Seeking the Soul is scheduled to ship to Gulfstream on the Tex Sutton equine charter from New Orleans to Fort Lauderdale Jan. 24 and thus will have his final workout at the Fair Grounds. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the mount.