Few horses in recent years looked more destined for championship honors than Arrogate after winning the Dubai World Cup in March 2017.
Breeders' Cup Classic winner and male 3-year-old champion in 2016, the Unbridled's Song colt paired up victories in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Dubai World Cup early in his 4-year-old season. Arrogate invited comparisons with the greatest horses of all time, Man o' War and Secretariat included, after a last-to-first rally in Dubai that left his Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, almost speechless.
Who could have guessed on that March Saturday that Arrogate would not win again and Gun Runner, the Dubai runner-up, would not lose again?
Four Grade 1 victories later, the last in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Arrogate's expense, Gun Runner is Horse of the Year and champion older male. Arrogate, losing his last three races, netted a consolation prize as horse racing's career earnings leader ($17,422,600) when he retired after the Breeders' Cup Classic last November.
A son of undefeated Candy Ride and the Giant's Causeway mare Quiet Giant, Gun Runner ends his racing career today in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla. He is the morning-line favorite (4-5) from post 10 in a 14-horse group including fellow Oaklawn Park stakes winner Stellar Wind. First prize of $7 million would move the chestnut 5-year-old ahead of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome into second place on the career earnings list.
Gun Runner is the fifth Horse of the Year in nine seasons to race at Oaklawn, launching his championship season in February with a 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap. After returning from Dubai, Gun Runner reeled off Grade 1 victories at Churchill Downs, Saratoga (two) and Del Mar.
Alicia Wincze Hughes, writing on Bloodhorse.com, said Gun Runner, a Grade 1 winner in his last start at 3, gave at 4 "a clinic on progressive improvement."
"What I reflect on is how fortunate we are. How, for this horse, for whatever reason, everything has come so easy for him," said Ron Winchell, of Winchell Thoroughbreds, which co-owns Gun Runner along with Three Chimneys Farm. "He's just been one of those horses where things have gone right for him. His recovery from races is unbelievable; he always has unbelievable energy levels. There are always positives when I get phone calls about Gun Runner -- and that's unusual in this game."
Gun Runner is the third Horse of the Year trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, an eight-time Oaklawn champion. The Texan also handled 2007 Arkansas Derby and Rebel winner Curlin, who repeated as Horse of the Year as a 4-year-old in 2008, and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009. (Rachel Alexandra won Oaklawn's Fantasy and Martha Washington under trainer Hal Wiggins before going to Asmussen's barn in a sale after winning the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.)
Oaklawn's Apple Blossom Handicap winner from 2016, Forever Unbridled, was crowned champion older female at the Eclipse Awards ceremony Thursday at Gulfstream Park. The then 5-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song and 2006 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever outvoted two past champions, defeating Songbird at Saratoga and Stellar Wind (among others) in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar. (Stellar Wind, who goes today in the Pegasus World Cup for new trainer Chad Brown, won the 2017 Apple Blossom when trained by John Sadler.)
"She was immature on the farm, then showed huge improvement from 3 to 4. She's spectacular in her training and never misses a beat," said Dallas Stewart, trainer of both Forever Unbridled and Lemons Forever. "I've never brought a horse to the paddock that looked better than she did on Breeders' Cup day."
The late-blooming West Coast gave Baffert his third consecutive male 3-year-old champion, following 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and Arrogate. The Flatter colt scored Grade 1 victories in the Travers at Saratoga and the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, then finished third in the Breeders' Cup Classic in his first start against older horses.
After starting the year with Simon Callaghan, Abel Tasman gave Baffert a sweep of the 3-year-old awards. In a deep crop of 3-year-old fillies, Quality Road's daughter scored a defining victory (albeit in the slop) in the Kentucky Oaks and added Grade 1 triumphs at Belmont Park and Saratoga. Finalists included multiple Grade 1 winner and Oaklawn-raced Elate, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.
Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Roy H was named champion male sprinter hours after his trainer, Peter Miller, scored an Oaklawn victory. Unique Bella was named champion female sprinter after exceptional work early and late in her 3-year-old season. Horse of the Year finalist World Approval and the beloved Lady Eli were named champion turfers.
Other winners were trainer Chad Brown, breeder Clearsky Farms, owner Juddmonte Farms, jockey Jose Ortiz and apprentice jockey Evin Roman.
Sports on 01/27/2018