Gun Runner

By: Alan Porter 

“Horse of the Year, Champion Older Horse and an earner of almost $15,000,000, Gun Runner has made one of the most explosive starts to his career of any stallion in living memory.”

By far and away the most successful cross for Candy Ride and his sons has been with Storm Cat line mares. Gun Runner, himself is bred on that cross, as he is out of a mare by Giant’s Causeway, a son of Storm Cat. Inbreeding to Storm Cat has been extremely successful, and is proving so for Gun Runner, six of his stakes winners having a duplication of that horse.

Gun Runner’s Champion Two-Year-Old daughter, Echo Zulu, is out of a mare by Menifee, a son of Harlan, also sire of Harlan’s Holiday, who is represented by Into Mischief, Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby, and is himself sire of the second dam of Gun Runner graded winner Wicked Halo. Gun Runner’s grade one winning son, Gunite, is out of a mare by Cowboy Cal, who is by Gun Runner’s own broodmare sire, Giant’s Causeway. Giant’s Causeway also appears as sire of the second dam of Gun Runner stakes winner, Concept, so this invites mares by such as Eskendereya, Creative Cause, First Samurai, Not This Time and Shamardal.

Multiple graded stakes winning and grade one placed Pappascat is out of a mare by Scat Daddy (by a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes, the broodmare sire of a Candy Ride line stakes winner).

Candy Ride and sons have enjoyed exceptional success with mares by Forest Wildcat, and there is also a stakes winner by a son of Candy Ride out of a mare by D’Wildcat, a son of Forest Wildcat, and Forest Wildcat is also sire of Wildcat Heir. There are two graded winners by Candy Ride out of mares by Storm Cat son Forestry. He could be introduced through daughters of Shackleford (who looks particularly appealing) or Discreet Cat. Other likely Storm Cat sources that are already proven under Candy Ride include Tale of the Cat (sire of Lion Heart; grandsire of Kantharos), Stormy Atlantic and Yankee Gentleman.

The cross with mares by Tapit has already provided Gun Runner with graded stakes winner Wicked Halo and stakes winners Red Run and Society. Tapit can be introduced through such as Constitution and Frosted.

Tapit is by Pulpit, and stakes winner Optionality is by Gun Runner out of a mare by Pulpit, and there is also a Candy Ride grade one winner out of a mare by Pulpit son, Stroll. Gun Runner also has a stakes placed horse out of a mare by Pulpit son, Sky Mesa.

Pulpit is by A.P. Indy out of a mare by Mr. Prospector and therefore bred on an identical cross to Flatter (sire of Upstart), who is the broodmare sire of Candy Ride’s multiple grade one winner Taiba, and to Malibu Moon, the broodmare sire of Gun Runner stakes winner Shotgun Hottie. This also suggests mares by similarly-bred A.P. Indy sons such as Congrats (brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In – out of a Storm Cat mare – and Discreetly Mine). It would also be worth considering mares by A.P. Indy sons Bernardini (bred very similarly to Tapit), Take Charge Indy, Jump Start (out of a Storm Cat mare) and Majestic Warrior.

Candy Ride and sons have enjoyed tremendous success crossed over mares from the Mr. Prospector line, and Gun Runner’s multiple grade one winner, Cyberknife is out of a mare by Flower Alley, a son of Distorted Humor (sire of Jimmy Creed and Maclean’s Music). There is also a stakes winner by Candy Ride out of a mare by Fusaichi Pegasus, who is bred on the same cross as Distorted Humor.

Gun Runner is inbred to Fappiano, a pattern that has worked very well for Candy Ride and his sons. The inbreeding in Gun Runner is far enough back to permit a third strain and Gun Runner has sired graded stakes winner, Wicked Halo, and stakes winners Red Run, Shotgun Hottie and Society, who all have Fappiano through Unbridled.

Candy Ride and sons have also particularly well when crossed over Unbridled. Out of mares by Empire Maker (sire of Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister; grandsire of American Pharoah, Classic Empire and Cairo Prince) there are two graded winners, including grade one winner Separationofpowers. There are five graded winners, including grade one winners Gift Box and Leofric, by Candy Ride and sons out of mares by Unbridled’s Song. Out of mares by sons of Unbridled’s Song there is a grade one winner out of a mare by First Defence, a graded winner out of mare by Songandprayer, and stakes winners out of mares by Political Force and Rockport Harbor. Other sources of Unbridled’s Song include Liam’s Map, Arrogate, Cross Traffic, Midshipman, Songandaprayer, Old Fashioned, Zensational, Even The Score, Dunkirk and Half Ours and Buddha. Unbridled could also be brought in through Broken Vow. It could also be worth considering introducing Fappiano through Quiet American, the grandsire of Midnight Lute, and Rubiano, sire of Burning Roma and Too Much Bling.

The cross of Candy Ride and sons with mares from the Gone West branch has produced such as grade one winner Vekoma (out of mare by Speightstown, the sire of Munnings), and three stakes winners out of mares by Mr. Greeley, also inviting Grand Slam, Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road and Smarty Jones) and Proud Citizen. From other branches of the Mr. Prospector line, Candy Ride sired one of his best runners, Twirling Candy, out of a mare by Mr. Prospector son, Chester House; he has a grade one winner out of a mare by Silver Ghost, and a grade two winner out of a mare by Street Cry (sire of Street Sense and Street Boss); there is a graded winner out of a mare by Curlin (by Smart Strike); a graded winner out of a mare by Seeking the Gold (sire of Mutakddim, Petionville and Cape Town); and a stakes winner out of a mare by Kingmambo (sire of Lemon Drop Kid).

Gun Runner’s Preakness Stakes (G1) hero, Early Voting, is out of a mare by Tiznow, from the Relaunch branch of the In Reality line, and there is a trio of stakes winners, two graded by Candy Ride and sons out of Successful Appeal mares, from the Valid Appeal branch of In Reality.

Gun Runner’s stakes winner Concept is out of a mare by Cindago, a son of Indian Charlie. This suggests that mares by Uncle Mo (sire of Nyquist), and other sons of Indian Charlie, including Adios Charlie and Liaison. This is a branch of the Caro line, which could also be brought in through Mizzen Mast.

Candy Ride has enjoyed success with the Halo line mares, and mares carrying Devil’s Bag and Saint Ballado, whose sister Champion Glorious Song is in the pedigree of Gun Runner would be a positive. There is also a Candy Ride stakes winner out of a mare by Southern Halo, the sire of More Than Ready (who is sire of grade one winners Funtastic and Buster’s Ready from the immediate family of Gun Runner). From the Roberto branch of Hail to Reason there are also two stakes winners by Candy Ride out of mares by Arch (sire of Blame). Gun Runner also has stakes winner Sixtythreecaliber out of a mare by Include, a son of Broad Brush.