Gun Runner Colt Fires Off Maiden Win at Churchill

This column highlights the performances of maidens who’ve made not more than 5 begins and who both bought for greater than $500,000 at public public sale, have siblings which can be graded/group winners, or have dams which can be graded/group winners. BloodHorse analysis exhibits maiden winners, specifically, who meet these standards usually tend to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Churchill Downs

Weapons Loaded  introduced the firepower in a six-furlong maiden particular weight Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs, blasting to a 2 3/4-length, gate-to-wire rating for coach Jose D’Angelo.

The race was the second outing for the strapping son of Gun Runner  , who needed to accept runner-up honors in his debut after stumbling at the beginning Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course. Refueled with contemporary ammunition for his second journey to the beginning gate, Weapons Loaded rocketed from the ten put up and commanded a transparent lead into the primary quarter-mile. Synonymous with a focused missile darting across the Churchill oval, the colt clicked off a :44.73 half-mile earlier than barreling down the stretch.

Placing the wire beneath regular encouragement from Luis Saez, Weapons Loaded accomplished the six panels in 1:09.90. The frontrunning efficiency netted the colt a 100 Equibase Velocity Determine.

Weapons Loaded was bred in Kentucky by esteemed horseman John Oxley, who raced his a number of graded stakes-placed dam, Sky My Sky. A $450,000 2-year-old buy, the daughter of Bernardini did her finest operating over the turf and artificial surfaces. Weapons Loaded is her first foal to race from 4 offspring of racing age.

Astute bloodstock brokers Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo signed the ticket on Weapons Loaded for Morplay Racing for $800,000 on the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Morplay, based by Latin music mogul Wealthy Mendez and his son Josh, partnered with Joey Platts and Woman Sheila Steady on Weapons Loaded forward of his debut.

Three Chimneys stallion Gun Runner, the sire of this yr’s Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1) hero Sierra Leone , at present sits second to the inimitable Into Mischief   within the main sire standings with solely 4 crops to race.