Gun Runner Stakes 2021 Entries: Seven entered for first running
A new race for the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby comes from the Fair Grounds as Sunday sees the inaugural running of the Gun Runner Stakes. Seven have been entered and Neil Monnery has an overview of the race…
- Post Position
- Horse
- M/L Odds
Post Position
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Horse
- Epicenter
- Waita Minute Hayes
- Rocket Dawg
- Surfer Dude
- Kevin's Folly
- Tejano Twist
- Rich Strike
M/L Odds
- 5-2
- 8-1
- 3-1
- 5-1
- 8-1
- 3-1
- 15-1
Both Steve Asmussen and Brad Cox have intriguing two-year-olds set to take to the track on Sunday for the first race of the elongated Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Derby.
We’ll start with the winningest trainer of all time as he sends out recent Maiden winner Epicenter. This son of Not This Time got it going second time out graduating with a win over a mile at Churchill Downs in mid November. Solid early pace was nice to see and he seems to ease clear at the end.
Brad Cox may still have the winner of the 2021 Derby depending on whether Medina Spirit is officially disqualified but no doubt he’ll be sending several two-year-olds out on track over the course of the next few months with an eye on the first Saturday in May. Rocket Dawg opened at 100-1 in the Vegas Futures markets and looked more than decent when winning over seven furlongs at Churchill Downs in his debut. Some really nice pedigree here makes me think we’ll hear more from this son of Classic Empire in 2022 no matter the result in this one.
Bret Calhoun has taken a very different approach with Tejano Twist as the son of Practical Joke has already raced eight times. It took him four races to graduate and still hasn’t raced at more than six-and-a-half furlongs. Clearly has ample speed but distance is a huge question mark and will surely see some horseplayers shy away.
Tom Amoss sends out Kevin’s Folly who has hit the board in a Grade I already when he came in third at the Hopeful over at Saratoga. This Distorted Humor colt has already stepped foot on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he finished eighth in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
Surfer Dude is a Curlin colt but taking five races to graduate always raises questions about whether any horse can compete at the very top level. Waita Minute Hayes and Rich Strike round of the field of seven.
JN Campbell has the action at Fair Grounds covered on Sunday so check back later in the week to check out his selections for the card and his Picks for the Gun Runner Stakes…