For the third consecutive weekend Gun Runner tallied a stakes winner, the latest coming June 10 at Monmouth Park when Shotgun Hottie drew off to a 5 ½-length win in the $100,000 Lady’s Secret S.
Turning in arguably her best performance to date, Shotgun Hottie and Signal From Noise were side-by-side through a tepid quarter-mile in :25.16. Shotgun Hottie took the lead on the backstretch and was up a length going into the final turn. Seemingly in control coming into the stretch, Shotgun Hottie spurted away from the field and was geared down late as she finished the 1 1/16-miles in 1:43.64 on a fast track.
“Paco [Lopez] did a really good job when they came out of the gate and he sensed there was a slow pace and he just took control of the situation,” said trainer Cherie DeVaux. “Her last race, she got into some trouble and it was a speed-favoring track. She’s a big filly and you can’t get her stopped. You have to keep her clear and Paco did that. We’ll probably stay the course and go to the Molly Pitcher S. (G3) next.”
Shotgun Hottie, who won last year’s Ruthless S., is now 4-4-2 in 14 starts and has earned $470,607 for owners Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje.
The winner was bred in Kentucky by Vincent Colbert. Shotgun Hottie is out of the unraced Re Entry, whose sister Sky Diva won the Frizette (G1).
