Gun Runner got his milestone 10th graded stakes winner on Saturday at Aqueduct when Sixtythreecaliber prevailed by a half-length over multiple graded winner Kathleen O. in the $175,000 Comely S. (G3)
The victory was the third straight win for the 3-year-old filly and her second consecutive stakes win.
Sixtythreecaliber took up a spot in second, with Tizzy in the Sky leading the way, as the field of seven made their way around the turn. The top two positions remained unchanged through six furlongs in 1:15.06. Sixtythreecaliber moved up and took the lead just outside the quarter pole. Kathleen O., who was far back early, made a late run, but came up short as the winner dug in gamely in the final strides.
“She’s a horse that has started—with all due respect to the other racetracks—in more minor league types of races, speaking comparatively to the New York racing circuit. But she is certainly no minor league horse,” winning trainer Tom Amoss said. “She used those races to build confidence, and it showed up today.”
The victory gave Sixtythreecaliber a record of 5-0-0 in seven starts and upped her earnings to $269,532 for owners Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse Stable.
Sixtythreecaliber was a $250,000 purchase by her owners from the Eaton Sales consignment to the 2020 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland. Bred in Kentucky by Lee Pokoik, Sixtythreecaliber is out of the Grade 1-placed Include Classofsixtythree, who is also the dam of Sham S. (G3) winner Gunmetal Gray.
Gun Runner, who was last year’s leading Freshman Sire, is dominating the 2022 Second-Crop sire list with nearly $14 million in progeny earnings. The figure also ranks in the top-five nationally on the General Sire list.
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