Gunite rallied past Bango in the final sixteenth of the $225,000 Aristides S. on June 3 at Churchill Downs to give the 4-year-old son of Gun Runner his seventh career stakes win.
The dark bay colt was making his first start since returning from the March 25 Golden Shaheen (G1) in Dubai, where he was beaten just a half-length by Sibelius, who was also in the Aristides field.
Strava and Sibelius were the two vying for the lead on the backstretch, while Gunite tracked in fourth through a quarter-mile in a rapid :21.71. Coming into the stretch, the fast early pace took its toll on the leaders, and Bango took over, with Gunite three-wide and in the clear. Bango, who has the second-most wins in history over the Churchill oval, looked home free with a furlong to go, but Gunite found his best stride and forged past to win by 1 ¾-lengths in 1:08.46 on a fast track.
“The Gun Runners just seem to get better with age,” trainer Steve Asmussen said of Gunite. “Just like Echo Zulu last week, we are just very fortunate to have these two horses in training. He’s a top-class horse and if anything he’s even faster now than he was a year ago.”
Among Gunite’s seven stakes wins are the Hopeful S. (G1) at two and the Amsterdam S. (G2) at three. Owned by his breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, Gunite is 8-5-2 in 17 starts and has earned $1,749,509.
With six stakes winners, 21 stakes horses (14 of them graded performers), Gun Runner leads the 2023 Third-Crop sire list by a wide margin, approaching $7 million in progeny earnings this year.
