Likely Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) continued to work towards his final career start in the $16-million GI Pegasus World Cup on Christmas Eve Sunday, covering five furlongs at the Fair Grounds in 1:01 flat (5/56) (Video courtesy Jennie Rees). The drill, which was the fourth in Louisiana for the 4-year-old since he annexed the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, came in company with stakes-placed stablemate Gettysburg (Pioneerof the Nile).
“Typical Gun Runner work: nice and relaxed the first part and picking it up nicely at the end,” regular rider Florent Geroux said before heading to Chicago for the holiday. “Nothing fancy. Just maintenance and preparing him for the work next week.”
Geroux did note that Gun Runner had to check slightly in the stretch because of a horse galloping towards the rail.
“The exercise rider moved out of the way in time for us to pass through on the inside,” he said.
Trainer Steve Asmussen's longtime assistant Scott Blasi was also on hand for he work.
“Steve wanted him to go in 1:01, and that's what they went in,” Blasi said. “I had him a little quicker than that. Just a good place to be a month out. I think the whole idea was to keep him in that rhythm, clicking off 12s. The horse is relaxed, getting over the ground really well. He's one of those horses you don't want to do too much with too soon, because I think he'll get turned on. The more you start doing with him, he just gets so ready.”
Also working towards the world's richest race Sunday at Fair Grounds was last-out GI Clark H. hero Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul {Ire}). The Chuck Fipke homebred went a half-mile in :49 flat (21/108).
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