The August 9-10 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale yielded huge returns for a pair of Gun Runner colts during Monday’s opening session, with the duo each bringing more than $500,000.
Leading the way was hip No. 76, consigned by Denali Stud, agent, and purchased by Maverick Racing for $850,000, which ended up being the second-highest price for a colt during the session.
“Gun Runner has obviously had a big weekend (with two graded stakes winners),” Maverick’s Elliott Walden said. “We (at WinStar) actually raised Gun Runner a little while for Besilu and we had him at the farm for a little bit. And this colt is out of a Tiznow mare and I saw a lot of similarities to both. So we really liked him.”
The colt is the first foal out of Dafya, whose dam Dance Quietly was a stakes winner. The colt’s third dam Quiet Dance is responsible for Horse of the Year Saint Liam, Grade 1 winner Funtastic, and Grade 2 winner Quiet Giant, the dam of Gun Runner.
Earlier in the session, hip No. 24, consigned by South Point Sales Agency, sold to Lael Stable for $550,000. The chestnut colt is the second foal out of the Bernardini mare Wembley, whose dam won the Princess Rooney H. (G1) and five other graded stakes.
Gun Runner is the leading First-Crop sire of 2021 and also tops this year’s yearling sales average with more than one lot sold at $363,400.
